Hot and a bit muggier today....TD 2 in the Gulf

Yesterday was indeed a scorcher with highs in the upper 90s to in excess of 100 degrees in some spots. The afternoon had a desert-like feel to it with very low levels of humidity again.

Today, things are beginning to change a bit. It will get a but muggier as the day unfolds, and it will still be pretty hit....mid to upper 90s. As an area or low pressure hangs near the coast, a few afternoon storms are possible around the Triad, but most spots will remain dry. The southern foothills and the Charlotte region should be largely dry, but the chances of showers and storms will increase the farther east you go in the region.

A cold front will begin to get close enough to us tomorrow to increase the chance of scattered showers and storms with highs in the low to maybe mid 90s.

Scattered showers and storms still highlight Saturday's forecast, but then some drier air will slip in here for Sunday and Monday, meaning dry conditions and lower 90s for highs.

TD 2....

Our disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico got classified as a tropical depression last night. It is heading for a landfall near the Texas/Mexico border this afternoon. The system is really lacking in the convection department this morning, but if it can fire some concentrated convection, then it could become Bonnie prior to landfall.

The problem from this system will be more rain in the precise areas where they don't need it. Many of the same areas that received some heavy rains from Alex will likely gets rains from this system.

Hot hot hot....

Here is the temp map from 3pm....ugly stuff. I hit some selected cities on my Facebook page, linked on the right side....

Peak of the heat today...

Sunshine will continue today, and many locations will see the hottest day of the year thus far unfold. Highs will top out in the upper 90s to lower 100s this afternoon....hot stuff. Humidity levels will remain quite low through the afternoon. Air quality remains a problem, and today is another Code Orange air quality day across the Piedmont.

Tomorrow will again be pretty hot with mid to upper 90s for most. A few late day storms might try to work in from the east as a coastal low back westward. A few late-day storms will also be possible Friday with highs in the low to mid 90s.

A cold front will drop through Saturday, and I will continue to highlight scattered shower and storm chances in the forecast. At this point, it appears some drier air might try to work in for Sunday and Monday, translating into fairly hot but dry conditions.

Afternoon storm chances return for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tropics...

We are still keeping an eye on the disturbance in the southern Gulf of Mexico. There is a chance this could develop into a tropical depression or tropical storm as it moves generally toward south Texas.

Heat building....

As we enjoyed very nice weather over the Fourth of July weekend, locations to our north were really baking in the heat. Now the pattern is shifting a bit, allowing that heat to settle in here from the north.

Look for continued sunshine today with highs in the mid 90s. One bright spot is that again today, humidity levels will be on the low side.

The airmass is stagnant, and the air quality continues to deteriorate. Today is a Code Red air quality day for the Charlotte region with a Code Orange forecast for the Triad and Triangle areas.

Tomorrow will be the hottest day of the week, and in many spots, the year thus far. Highs will surge into the upper 90s to near 100 degrees across the Piedmont, and air quality will remain a problem.

Out in the Atlantic Ocean, there is an upper level low that is slowly backing westward. That low will get close enough to the region to bring the chance of a few showers and storms later Thursday and Friday. Look for mid 90s Thursday and lower 90s Friday.

A cold front will approach Saturday and bring some showers and storms. The front then stalls out nearby, bringing fairly muggy conditions and the daily chance of some scattered storms into near week.

Heat and humidity building again...

Due to holiday scheduling, there will not be a new edition of the Carolina Weather Video today. New edition posted bright and early Tuesday morning....

I hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day. The weather was certainly nice for any of your outdoor plans you might have had.

Lots of folks are making a three-day weekend of it today, and we are beginning to feel the heat and humidity build. Highs today will warm into the low to even some mid 90s, but overall, humidity levels will remain lower than a typical summer day.

Highs will warm toward the mid 90s in many spots tomorrow, with mid to upper 90s on tap for Wednesday. Highs will remain well up into the 90s Thursday and Friday as well, and it will get pretty muggy again as the week unfolds.

Over the upcoming weekend, a cold front will approach and bring the chance of some showers and storms. Highs look to back down a bit for the weekend as well.

Tropics...

We are watching several areas around the Atlantic Basin for signs of development. The area of greatest interest is in the Caribbean Sea.

Ahhhh......

It feels great out there. If it were up to me, this is the type of summertime weather I would sign up for. Today will be terrific with sunshine and highs in the low to mid 80s. Humidity levels will be very low through the day as well.

Tonight will be a bit on the cool side by July standards, but it will feel refreshing....another good night to open up the windows. Lows around the Piedmont will drop into the mid to upper 50s...record lows might even be challenged at Charlotte and Raleigh.

Humidity levels will remain low through the holiday weekend with highs in the mid 80s tomorrow and up close to 90 for the Fourth. There will be no weather problems at all for all of the fireworks displays Sunday evening.

If you are heading to the coast, look for sunshine and warm temps. Up in the mountains, expect sunshine with cool nights and comfortably warm afternoons.

Next week, it will get hotter and muggier again with low to mid 90s and lows increasing toward the upper 60s and lower 70s with time.

Wonderful weather!

Absolutely wonderful weather conditions are settling into the region today. We will see lots of sunshine through the day, and highs will only reach into the low to mid 80s. Add to that mixture much lower levels of humidity, and the result is terrific conditions.

It will be comfortably cool tonight with a clear sky. I feel many Piedmont locations will wind up in the upper 50s to around 60 early Friday morning.

A delightful Friday will then ensue with sunshine, low to mid 80s for highs, and low humidity.

It will get a bit warmer as the weekend unfolds, and for Independence Day on Sunday, many highs will warm to around 90. However, humidity levels will remain on the low side, so it will still feel pretty good to be outside. For all of the fireworks displays Friday evening, no problems...look for a primarily clear sky with evening temps falling through the 80s and into the 70s.

Alex....

Alex made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane with 105mph sustained winds around 10:30 eastern time yesterday evening. The pressure was all of the way down to 947mb, and Alex was rapidly strengthening in the system's final hours prior to landfall. Alex is now the strongest June hurricane wince Audrey in 1957.

The system continues to weaken in Mexico, and the threat from Alex is flooding in northern and central Mexico into southern Texas.