Dangerous heat will continue to be the main weather story as we head into Friday and the weekend, with an isolated to scattered afternoon thunderstorm the only real shot at bringing about any reprieve.

We’ll take the heat up a notch for Thursday as even hotter air temperatures in the upper 90s — perhaps approaching 100° in a few spots — combine with dewpoints in the mid-to-upper 70s to produce heat indices pushing 110-113°. This potential has prompted an Extreme Heat Warning for Charleston and tidal Berkeley counties (Daniel Island, Hanahan) from 11am-8pm. Elsewhere in Berkeley and Dorchester counties, a Heat Advisory will be in effect for the same time period. In these areas, heat indices should peak in the 108-110° range — still quite dangerous, but not nearly as intense as what folks will see closer to the coast, where the moisture-rich maritime air will make it that much harder for your body to cool down. If you must be outside during the advisory/warning period tomorrow, take frequent breaks in the shade with plenty of water.

There will be a risk for a few showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon as some energy ripples by aloft, riding around the periphery of a strong ridge of high pressure centered in the midsection of the continental US. If storms can get going, a stray strong storm or two won’t be out of the question given plenty of moisture to work with. However, don’t count on a thunderstorm to impart much, if any, relief from the extreme heat.

The weather story for the rest of the work week will be the intensifying heat wave across the area as high pressure building in aloft continues to strengthen, while southwesterly winds continue to pump in high-dewpoint air that will send heat indices over 110° in spots.

It’s a very toasty start to the school year for Charleston County on Tuesday as this week’s heat wave will begin in earnest as high pressure aloft takes hold. We’ll start the day on a very mild note, with lows in the mid-to-upper 70s warming to the mid-90s in the afternoon. Dewpoints will run in the low-to-mid-70s inland, while closer to the coast, they’ll run in the upper 70s. That will help drive heat indices solidly into the 100s, with the highest heat indices expected in the Highway 17 corridor and points east. A Heat Advisory will be in effect for Charleston County and the southern part of Berkeley County from 11am-8pm, when heat indices should exceed 108° and could top out near 111° as the seabreeze pushes by. The aforementioned high pressure will make it much harder for thunderstorms to develop, though a couple popup showers will be possible. With that in mind, though, don’t count on thunderstorms to impart any relief from the heat.

The main weather story this week will be the return of heat that will be reminiscent of what we experienced earlier in July, with another round of dangerous heat indices pushing 110-115° at times.

Overall, unsettled weather will continue over the weekend, though as is often the case in the summer, your plans won’t be completely washed out, either.

Showers and thunderstorms will remain in the forecast as we head into Friday and the weekend, with the best rain chances on Saturday as a slug of moisture moves ashore.

Like the past few days, we will be getting our storms out of the way during Thursday’s morning and early afternoon hours as storms developing over the Atlantic drift coastward. Expect a warm and muggy start in the mid-70s, warming to around 90° in the afternoon once the sun emerges from behind the clouds. Showers and thunderstorms will once again be capable of producing heavy rain, with a flood advisory or two not out of the question especially if storms begin to train. We may also see a waterspout or two as well; earlier today, a storm off Kiawah produced four waterspouts (none of which made it to shore, at least). Keep an eye out on the beaches or if you have some boating planned.

The first week of August looks unsettled with more rain on the way, especially in the first half of the week as low pressure aloft becomes cut off and stalls for a couple days.

High pressure will give way to a cold front approaching from the west, bringing more humid air and shower and thunderstorm chances back to the forecast for the weekend.