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Author: Jared Smith

Jared Smith founded @chswx on Twitter in 2008 as an experiment in disseminating weather data through social media. In the ensuing decade-and-a-half, @chswx has provided live coverage of tropical cyclones, tornadoes, severe weather, and even a couple bouts of winter weather to the good people of Charleston, SC.

Weekend forecast: Quite warm, a stray storm or two possible

/ June 30, 2023 at 6:56 PM

The weekend forecast basically screams “first weekend of July in Charleston.” Morning lows bottom out in the mid-70s, while highs reach the mid-90s each afternoon with a few showers and storms possible along and ahead of the seabreeze. Humidity will be on the increase throughout the weekend. Heat indices on Saturday top out around 100-101°. On Sunday, the dewpoints head into the mid-70s and sends the heat index to around 106° in the afternoon. By virtue of it being July 2nd, there will not be a heat advisory as the criteria heads up to 110° on July 1, but anything past 105° is dangerous heat, and you should take the appropriate precautions.

The only potential fly in the ointment could arrive late Saturday/early Sunday as a thunderstorm complex rounding a ridge of high pressure approaches the area. It should be weakening, but a couple models suggest that it could hang on to bring some overnight/early morning rain. These are hard to pin down beyond a day or so, so stay tuned to forecast updates. For now, though, the going forecast for isolated PM thunderstorms looks solid.

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Friday & the weekend: Warm, with a slight chance of a storm in the afternoons

/ June 29, 2023 at 10:56 PM

Here comes real summer: Humidity begins to increase Friday as winds go more southerly at the surface, and will continue to build heading into the weekend. Highs on Friday top out in the mid-90s once again, and with dewpoints just shy of 70°, expect heat indices to approach 100° in the afternoon. We could see a shower or storm in the afternoon to evening hours along the seabreeze (and possibly as a result of a decaying convective complex headed toward the Carolinas), but most of us should stay dry.

Similar weather is on tap for Saturday, but with dewpoints a few clicks higher, expect heat indices to top out around 102° or so. Once again, we could see a shower or storm in the afternoon, but the vast majority of us should get away with the day rain-free.

By Sunday, dewpoints will top out in the mid-70s, and this combined with solid mid-90s temperatures could drive heat indices near 110°, which is the Heat Advisory threshold after July 1. A stray shower or storm can’t be ruled out, but the odds favor dry weather for now. We’ll want to keep an eye on potential thunderstorm complexes rounding a ridge of high pressure that’ll be making gradual eastward progress toward the area, so stay tuned to forecast updates as these are hard to catch beyond a day or so.

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Thursday: Another warm day before the heat turns up for the holiday weekend

/ June 28, 2023 at 9:53 PM

After the first 95° reading of the year on Wednesday, we’ll likely repeat that on Thursday, with plenty more 90s to come as we head into the holiday weekend. Downslope flow should once again keep dewpoints in the mid-60s, thus keeping heat indices in check as well. Expect partly cloudy skies — and as always, a shower can’t be totally discounted — but overall expect a rain-free, warm day.

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Rest of the work week: Summer sun and the heat to go with it

/ June 27, 2023 at 8:46 PM

The 90s stick around for the rest of the week with quite a bit of sunshine as high pressure at the surface and aloft builds into the area. Downslope winds will mix dewpoints out into the 60s each day, so it won’t be as humid as it could be in late June. The heat index on Wednesday, in fact, should only top out a degree or two warmer than the high. Air temperatures will top out again in the mid-90s on Thursday, but a little more humidity will make it feel closer to 97-98°. By Friday, winds will go more southerly and dewpoints will stay more steady in the low 70s, which should yield heat indices around 100°. Heat will continue to accelerate heading into the weekend, with the first Heat Advisories of the season possible as we bring in July. Hydrate regularly and be sure to use sunscreen if you’re spending time outside, especially during the peak of the afternoon.

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Tuesday: Drier air moves in, turning warmer

/ June 26, 2023 at 9:37 PM

A cold front will move through and stall out nearby on Tuesday, allowing drier air to mix into the area. This will largely suppress cloud cover and will help drive temperatures to the mid-90s in the afternoon; fortunately, the drier air mixing in will also keep dewpoints reasonably in check, so heat indices will only top out around 96°-98° or so.

A few thunderstorms will still be possible very early Tuesday morning, but widespread severe weather does not look to be an issue. Still, there’s a small chance you could be woken up overnight, especially the further north you go.

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The week ahead: Strong storms possible Monday, then turning hotter

/ June 25, 2023 at 10:54 PM

We open the week with the risk of a few strong to severe thunderstorms, and get much warmer thereafter as we say goodbye to June and welcome in July, with the first heat advisories of the season possible by the weekend.

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Sunday’s forecast: A sunny and warm June day

/ June 24, 2023 at 8:01 PM

Sunday will be a much more traditional warm and somewhat muggy June day across the Lowcountry than we’ve felt for much of the month, really. We start the day in the low 70s before temperatures warm into the low 90s under mostly sunny skies. Kick in some humidity and it’ll feel closer to 95° in the afternoon at peak heating. It looks quite unlikely that a shower or storm will develop, though it can never be totally ruled out in the summertime. Suspect it’ll be another day full of Instagram stories from the beach. Use that sunscreen as the UV index will be a solid 10.

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Weekend forecast: Calming down, warming up

/ June 23, 2023 at 8:21 PM

Weather much more becoming of June arrives this weekend as the upper low continues to pull away and we get a break in the action. We return to the 90s each day this weekend, with only a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms on Saturday. Sunday could be even warmer, with highs approaching the mid-90s under partly cloudy skies. While a stray storm can never be totally ruled out, it’s looking like the vast, vast majority of us get Sunday in rain-free — some welcome drying out time after the soggy week that was.

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Friday & the weekend: One more active day, then turning quieter

/ June 22, 2023 at 11:24 PM

We will have one more day with off and on storms on Friday before improving weather arrives for the weekend. The blocking pattern that’s been plaguing us all week finally starts to dislodge, but a deep trough will remain across the area for Friday. This in conjunction with a front draped across the area will keep shower and thunderstorm chances in the forecast for pretty much any point during the day (though it will not be raining all the time, either). Some guidance this evening has been specifically hitting on some rainfall during the morning commute, so keep that in mind as you head out to work on Friday. Highs top out in the mid-80s with cloud cover and showers expected to be around once more.

The aforementioned upper low finally pulls away for the weekend. This will help move the front offshore and kick a little drier air into place starting Saturday. Highs top out in the upper 80s after we start the day in the low-to-mid-70s under partly cloudy skies, though a few thunderstorms should fire along the seabreeze in the afternoon (as is often the case during summertime). Sunday looks even quieter, with a such a low risk of a random shower or storm as to be unmentionable in the forecast. We should top out around 90° Sunday, and I suspect that’ll help get many folks out to the beaches, so use some patience as you may very well be dealing with traffic.

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Thursday: More off and on storms, with a few possibly on the strong side

/ June 21, 2023 at 7:06 PM

Thursday will be another active weather day across the region as a warm front draped across SC interacts with low pressure aloft to generate numerous showers and thunderstorms. A few of these storms could be on the strong side, with damaging wind gusts the main concern, though some hail can’t be ruled out either. Highs on Thursday top out in the mid-80s before storms get rolling once more. It won’t rain all day in any one spot, but when it does, it could be quite heavy. Keep rain gear handy, allow additional travel time, and keep an ear out for flood advisories as well.

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