The stationary front that’s been lingering nearby will begin to fall apart on Thursday as high pressure begins to build in, bringing storm chances down and temperatures up especially as we head into the weekend, which looks particularly hot.

We start Thursday in the mid-70s, with the risk for a few storms hanging around thanks to nearby low pressure and the aforementioned front. As the heat of the day perks up, we should see additional scattered storms firing across the area. Expect highs to peak in the low 90s, with heat indices in the upper 90s to near 100°. As high pressure builds in, storm chances will trend downward, and we should be in largely good shape rain-wise by evening.

Friday & the weekend: Turning very hot

High pressure at the surface and aloft will turn the pressure cooker back on across the Lowcountry as we head into Friday and the weekend. There will be a risk for a couple popup storms Friday, but it should otherwise be a mostly sunny day as lows in the mid-70s warm to the mid-90s in the afternoon. Mix in the humidity, and the heat index will head into the mid-100s, perhaps flirting with Heat Advisory criteria.

Heat Advisory criteria seems more certain over the weekend, though. Temperatures on Saturday start in the mid-to-upper 70s, warming to boy band levels of heat (98°) in the afternoon. Dewpoints in the mid-70s should yield heat indices approaching 110°, which is getting well into the danger zone for heat illness.

Sunday could push even hotter, with air temperatures perhaps climbing to around 100° after lows that may struggle to get below 80°. Dewpoints should remain in the mid-70s, and that would yield heat indices over 110° in the afternoon. The National Weather Service criteria for an Extreme Heat Warning is a heat index at or above 113° for more than two hours, and that might not be totally out of reach on Sunday. An isolated storm could help bring some relief to a few, but high pressure will largely keep a lid on thunderstorm development. Make sure you’re getting plenty of fluids and time in the shade this weekend if you must be out and about. Please be sure to check on people especially vulnerable to heat illness, including folks without air conditioning and the elderly.