The heat is on

The forecast remains on track with very hot conditions settling in through the weekend. Humidity is running a little high, even for this region, which is leading to heat index values peaking around the 110F mark. What makes things a bit worse, and putting a strain on AC units and utility systems, is lack of temperature recovery at night. Overnight low temps were in the low 80s around Houston last night and only near 80F in Lafayette. Smoke/haze from fires in Mexico along with the humidity and some clouds were contributors to the higher nighttime temps. All in all, not much will change through the weekend, but we should see peak temperatures average a degree or two hotter tomorrow.

There are some glimmers of hope. First, a series of thunderstorm complexes will be moving by just to the north of Acadiana over the weekend. One or two of them could skirt by close enough to provide a little rain and some cloud cover. The timing is still very uncertain and the risk is low, but its something. Areas north of I-10 will see the best chance of this activity. Farther west, no such luck for the Houston area. Secondly, the extended range forecast is trending wetter as the ridge of high pressure may retreat as an upper trough of low pressure slides westward out of the SE U.S. mid to late next week. Fingers crossed!