The days may be getting shorter, but summer is not over yet! The AC will be on full blast through the next week, as temperatures stay around 7-10° above normal! If you planned vacation for this week, you picked a good one! By the looks of the forecast, there's still plenty of time to get those boxes checked off of the summer bucket list.
Today is no exception, as highs will be in the mid to upper 80s (not out of the question for a few areas to top out at 90°). Here's the kicker though; summertime storms in the forecast for this afternoon. I've already gotten the question on Twitter, "Will it be safe to hit the pool today?" My answer: "Heck yes! In fact, I recommend some sort of summer-swimming activity for today… Just keep an eye/ear out for storms."
Yes, we do have a chance of storms in the forecast for today. However, these will not be severe – and we're talking isolated storms (meaning very few – and not for everyone). Most of us will miss this action completely, especially as you get down into SE Mass., Cape Cod and the islands. Nevertheless, if a storm pops up in your area, just take it inside for a bit. Showers and storms won't last long (20-30 min), but there could be lightning and downpours with these storms. Then, once the dark cloud has passed, you're right back outside grilling and/or baking in the heat again.
Hot enough for you? Just wait… It keeps getting hotter through the weekend and continues into next week. The other important thing to note will be the increase in humidity. We know it can be quite uncomfortable – and I've already blogged about how it's harder for us to get the benefit of a "cooling sweat" (due to lack of evaporation, which is a cooling process). Monday looks to be the hottest day of the week, with low to mid 90s for most. If dewpoints are also above 70° (oppressive humidity) then our "real feel" will be between 99-105°. The other issue is, we don't get a lot of relief from the heat during the nighttime hours either (lows in the low 70s). Remember to check on your neighbors and the elderly this week.
How do you beat the heat? If you can't answer that question now, I'm sure you'll come up with something soon out of necessity! I've read that some cultures eat spicy foods, to increase sweating. I've also read that it can help to get a bed-sheet wet and hang it in an open window (trying to take advantage of the cooling process of evaporation). I also imagine the beach will be poppin' through the next week. That's my plan, at least!
Heat + Humidity = Summertime Storms. While it looks dry for Sunday, we will have a chance of showers and storms almost each day this week. So, if you're plans will be taking you outdoors, keep an eye on the forecast! Have a great weekend. – Breezy
