High pressure will bring a pause in the rain and a further uptick in temperatures starting Tuesday. We start the day in the low to mid-70s (warmer near the coast), warming to the low 90s in the afternoon under partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies. With 70s dewpoints continuing their comeback, expect heat indices in the low 100s to return to the area as well — a fair bit warmer than we’ve been used to recently, but staying below the heat advisory thresholds we got to know very well during July.
The rest of the work week will feature a cooling trend as high pressure wedges into the area from the northeast and troughing aloft persists. Wednesday should feature a lower storm chance than we’ve seen the past couple days as some drier air takes hold across the area. Temperatures start around 70°, warming to the mid-to-upper 80s in the afternoon with dewpoints in the upper 60s expected.
Thursday into Friday will feature even cooler temperatures as the wedge intensifies over the area; expect mid-80s on Thursday and low 80s on Friday. The intensifying high pressure should lead to a tightening pressure gradient which will drive some gusty winds, particularly around the coast. The onshore winds combined with the recent lunar perigee will also promote coastal flooding around times of high tide (both morning and evening) starting Wednesday evening through at least Friday. Right now generally minor flooding is expected, which is enough to close some of the more vulnerable roads in downtown Charleston.
Shower and thunderstorm chances come back into play for Thursday and Friday as well as more moisture starts to work back into the area, with the best chances of rain closer to the coast. Inland locations may even stay rain-free where drier air is expected to hold firm. No severe weather is expected, though a downpour or two can’t be totally ruled out.
Tuesday looks a lot like Monday did (in the weather department, anyway) as a front continues to meander nearby, keeping the risk for a few showers and thunderstorms in the forecast in the afternoon primarily east of 17-A. Temperatures will follow a similar curve as well — we start in the low 70s (warmer toward the coast) and warm into the upper 80s to around 90° in the afternoon.
As far as storms go, a few folks could see some locally heavy rain thanks to slow storm motions, but otherwise, no severe weather is expected.
We have a bit of a respite from the rain and the extreme humidity on the way as a front slides south of the area and stalls tonight. Some lingering moisture and a trough of low pressure will allow for a few storms to remain in the forecast on Wednesday, though, as dewpoints slowly drop through the low 70s throughout the day. We start the day in the mid-70s and warm to the upper 80s in the afternoon, capped by some of that cooler and drier air trying to move back in. Expect the best chance of showers and storms from roughly 2-10PM. A few downpours can’t be totally ruled out as the deeper moisture only really starts to scour out Wednesday night, so a flood advisory or two could still be possible.
Tuesday’s forecast will continue to feature warm temperatures and afternoon thunderstorms as Berkeley and Charleston head back to school. We have another warm start ahead of us — generally expect lows in the upper 70s once again, followed by highs in the low 90s in the afternoon. This should run a couple degrees cooler with a little more onshore flow, but it’ll still be toasty with heat indices peaking around 102° before showers and storms fire. Once again, heavy downpours could cause localized flooding, especially near swollen rivers and streams and in urban areas, so stay alert for possible Flood Advisories.
Tropical Storm Debby will continue to figure prominently in the forecast as we head through the middle of the week with continued periods of heavy rain and gusty winds before a more standard summertime pattern once again starts to take hold Friday.
High pressure building in aloft will turn on the heat and keep storms at bay for the rest of the work week. After reaching 93° on Tuesday, we should reach well into the mid-90s for the next few days. Dewpoints surging back into the mid-to-upper 70s will drive heat indices back into Advisory territory possibly as early as Wednesday and more likely on Thursday and Friday. Be ready to take heat precautions once again as you head outside at the height of the afternoons.
Looking for relief from storms? Don’t count on it — the high pressure aloft will generally put a lid on much in the way of thunderstorm activity. If one can get going, then you might get some heavy rain and gusty winds, but otherwise, widespread storm activity doesn’t appear likely until next week.
Well, the respite is decidedly over: we’re back to 100°+ heat indices on Tuesday as surface high pressure shifts offshore and higher-dewpoint air returns to the area. We start the day in the low 70s one more time, but will warm quickly into the 80s by mid-morning and should be back in the 90s by early afternoon. Dewpoints look to climb into the mid-70s throughout the day, and this will yield heat indices around 103° — hot to be sure, but shy of advisory criteria. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are primarily expected in the afternoon and evening hours, though a few showers can’t be ruled out in the morning. A few showers may try to get going on the seabreeze, but high-resolution guidance suggests that the bulk of any activity will get going perhaps in the Midlands and Upstate before dropping southeasterly into the metro. Some heavy rain is possible, and a damaging wind gust or two is not out of the question, either. Keep an ear out for possible warnings Tuesday evening, just in case.
Increasing shower and thunderstorm chances will be in play each starting Wednesday as disturbances within southwest flow aloft add some lift to the generally favorable thermodynamics. Temperatures on Wednesday start in the upper 70s, warming to the low-to-mid-90s by afternoon. As far as storms, some coastal storms, perhaps with waterspouts, will again be possible with the morning land breeze. Then, once the seabreeze becomes established, we should see more in the way of shower and thunderstorm activity inland.
Rain chances tick up even further Thursday and peak Friday as a front sags south nearby. This will help keep highs capped to around if not slightly below normal, especially Friday. Both days, expect decent coverage of showers and thunderstorms especially in the afternoon and evening hours. Heavy rain and a strong storm or two can’t be totally ruled out. Friday looks particularly active with the threat for isolated flooding possible. To this end, The Weather Prediction Center has the area in a slight risk for excessive rainfall. Fingers crossed for no commute problems, but it’s something to watch.
Heat and humidity will continue to rule the roost for Tuesday and for the next couple days as we stay within southerly flow at the surface and aloft, keeping the moisture pump moving right along. This will also lead to periods of storms. Guidance is hinting at another round of morning showers and storms near the coast as the land breeze develops before afternoon storms develop further inland. Coverage will generally be scattered in nature, and not all of us will see rain as a result. Highs top out in the low 90s after a start in the upper 70s; expect heat indices to get close to advisory criteria in the afternoon, perhaps approaching 107°.
