Alas, Friday and the weekend will bring us back to reality a little bit after a couple fairly nice days for late August. Highs on Friday top back out in the mid-90s under mostly sunny skies as ridging holds on tight for at least one more day, suppressing afternoon thunderstorm chances (and, as such, any chance for relief). Heat indices look to peak around 102° or so — not quite advisory level, but not exactly pumpkin spice weather, either.

Saturday will be even hotter, as air temperatures head up into the upper 90s. Combine this with solidly mid-70s dewpoints and that’ll yield heat indices approaching the heat advisory threshold of 110°. As ridging aloft begins to weaken, the seabreeze may have a slightly easier time popping a storm or two, though coverage will continue to be primarily isolated in nature.

Storm chances tick up fairly decently for Sunday afternoon and evening as a front approaches the area and a trough sets in aloft. It’ll still be hot — expect mid-90s highs before storms kick in — and heat indices could still head north of the 105° danger zone (but should remain shy of advisory thresholds). This will usher in a more active period heading into next week, with rain chances becoming more likely as the aforementioned front stalls and hangs around for a few days.

The air on Wednesday evening is fairly glorious — dewpoints in the mid-60s behind the seabreeze, with even some 50s dewpoints ahead of it — thanks to a cold front that pushed through earlier in the day. We’ll keep some of this dry air around for Thursday, which will keep the high of 92° feeling closer to 93-94°. We’ll see a few clouds across the area, but otherwise, it’ll be another reasonably pleasant late-August day.

After another very warm day Tuesday, a cold front will get through the area overnight and into early Wednesday, bringing an all-too-brief round of much drier air to the area. (A few showers are possible too.) We start the day in the mid-70s, but as the somewhat cooler and drier air moves in, we’ll find highs will top out generally in the upper 80s. Lower dewpoints, though, are what will make upper 80s to around 90° much more tolerable. We should see dewpoints mix down to the low 60s for the first time since June. Heat index won’t be a factor, and it should overall be a comparatively nice afternoon to do some things outside for a change.

Tuesday will be another rather warm day across the Lowcountry. After we topped out at 95° on Monday, temperatures should head a little higher on Tuesday, back into the mid-90s once again under partly cloudy skies. Peak heat indices will range from near 105° inland to around 108° closer to the coast where the higher-dewpoint air will be found. This is in the range where heat illness becomes an escalated concern, so be sure to take the normal heat precautions if you’re out and about Tuesday afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms are unlikely given ridging aloft, but a stray shower can never be totally ruled out.

We have a generally quiet week on tap as high pressure is the dominant weather player across the central and eastern US. It’s going to be warm, especially to start the week as dewpoints in the low-to-mid-70s combine with air temperatures in the mid-90s to yield heat indices around 102° on Monday and 105°+ on Tuesday under partly cloudy skies. A front might allow for a couple storms Wednesday before quiet weather resumes to close out the work week. It’ll be a little “cooler” and drier behind the front — dewpoints in the upper 60s to around 70° and air temperatures in the low 90s will still run above normal, but heat indices should remain in check as drier air mixes down and limits cloud cover. Isolated storm chances return Saturday afternoon, with a better chance of storms on Sunday as another front approaches the area.

Sunday’s forecast looks fairly similar to Saturday’s: We’ll start the day in the mid-70s and head toward around 90° in the afternoon under partly cloudy skies. Heat indices will top out around 100-101°, with perhaps locally higher values closer to the coast. A scattering of showers and thunderstorms will once again be possible as the seabreeze presses inland, with heavy rain a continued concern with decent low-level moisture still in place. Ridging developing aloft will keep a lid on widespread coverage of showers and storms.

The weather this weekend looks fairly August-like — lows in the mid-70s, highs in the low 90s, with a chance for thunderstorms each afternoon, but no rainouts, either.

Moisture begins to return to the area Saturday as a front approaches and stalls out nearby. The front won’t be a huge contributor to storm chances, it looks like, with the seabreeze doing a bulk of the dirty work in the afternoon and evening hours. The moisture isn’t very deep, though, and that should limit storms to generally isolated to scattered coverage. Highs top out in the low-to-mid-90s; combine this with dewpoints heading into the low 70s, we should see heat indices around 100° for a time.

Trajectories turn more onshore for Sunday, which will act to keep a chance for scattered showers and storms in the forecast for much of the day, progressing inland with time. Widespread coverage isn’t expected, though, and it won’t rain all day at any one location. Highs top out in the low 90s with heat indices around 100-101°.

This might be the last real rain we see for a few days as an expansive ridge builds in across the area for the upcoming work week (and first week of school), which may send heat indices back over 105° across the area for a good chunk of each afternoon. It remains to be seen if heat advisory-level conditions return — stay tuned.

Drier air moves into the area for Friday, yielding mostly sunny skies and a rain-free day. We start the day in the mid-70s before highs head to the mid-90s in the afternoon. Drier air mixing down from aloft will temper dewpoints somewhat, and this will help to keep heat indices from getting too far out of hand. Still, feels-like temperatures will top out in the mid-to-upper 90s. So, while it’s not going to be cool outside, it’s also not going to feel like it’s 110°. (Take the wins where you can get them.)

Scattered storms head back into the forecast starting Saturday afternoon as a front stalls out nearby and waves of low pressure move along it. Surface dewpoints will head back into the mid-70s, and this will yield heat indices over 100° Saturday afternoon before storms fire. Still, coverage should be scattered at most with ridging aloft creating a bit of capping.

Sunday will run a tad cooler (air temperature-wise, anyway) as surface winds turn more onshore. Expect highs in the upper 80s to around 90° in the afternoon, but heat indices will run around 100°. Scattered showers and some thunderstorms will be embedded within this onshore flow, and will be coming ashore from time to time, but by no means is it a washout as coverage should once again generally be in the scattered category. So, while it’s not the perfect setup for the last weekend before school starts, it won’t be the worst you’ve ever seen, either.

On and off showers and thunderstorms will continue for Thursday as a front remains stalled to our west and deep moisture resides over the area. We start the day in the mid-70s before highs top out around 90° before showers and thunderstorms fire. Once again, storms could pack heavy downpours that could lead to some flooding in a few spots, so be alert to quickly-changing conditions.

A stalling front and deep moisture will keep showers and thunderstorms figuring prominently in the forecast for the next couple days, bringing an end to this string of excessive heat (though it’ll still be plenty warm before storms get going). Wednesday could feature a scattering of storms at any point during the day, but the best chances will be found in the afternoon as daytime heating gets going. Some spots may see some heavy rain given deep moisture and occasionally lackadaisical storm motions. Keep an ear out for flood advisories.

Thursday looks rather similar, though we should start to see the deeper moisture get shunted away from the area late in the day. Temperatures once again start in the mid-70s before peaking around 90-91° ahead of another round of showers and thunderstorms developing across the area. Once again, the main threat is heavy rain, but a couple storms still could produce some gusty winds.

The front falls apart Friday as high pressure begins to ridge back in, and that will drive storm chances down and temperatures back up into the mid-90s. Despite generally southwesterly winds at the surface, dewpoints should mix down into the upper 60s to around 70° around peak heating, keeping the heat index at least a little in check. An isolated shower or storm will be possible on the seabreeze, but much of us get Friday in rain-free.