A hot weekend is ahead, especially on Sunday, as high pressure builds in aloft. A few of us could get some relief from a few thunderstorms, but that’s not a guarantee for everyone.

Saturday will get off to a very warm start, with lows in the mid-to-upper 70s expected. This may challenge the record warm low temperature at the airport, which is 77° set in 2015. From there, we’ll warm to the mid-90s in the afternoon, with dewpoints in the low 70s mixing in to make it feel closer to 100-103°. This falls short of heat advisory criteria, but is still plenty steamy. Thunderstorm chances are low, but not zero along and ahead of the seabreeze.

High pressure continues to build in across the Deep South on Sunday, ridging up the Mississippi River basin. We’ll be on the eastern flank of it, and the resulting northwest flow will help drive temperatures well into the mid-to-upper 90s in the afternoon, potentially challenging high temperature records in the process. The record high at the airport is 99° set in 1998, while downtown’s record is 100° set in 1959. The airport record certainly seems attainable, while downtown’s will be awfully tough to match. Dewpoints in the 70s will drive heat indices upwards of 109-110°, especially closer to the coast. It certainly seems that the Heat Advisory criteria of heat indices 108-112° for two hours could be realized, but that will depend on thunderstorm development.

There will be a better chance for thunderstorms on Sunday as a surface trough combined with some energy aloft heads southeastward toward the coast. The pinned seabreeze could also act as a focal point for thunderstorm development, so you’ll want to keep an eye out at the beaches in case thunderstorms threaten. Storms could produce cloud-to-ground lightning, heavy rain, and gusty winds, but organized severe weather is not expected.

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