HEAT: It's been HOT this week in the South with temperatures well over 90F and heat indices into the 100s. High pressure over Texas is keeping the Lone Star state high and dry. The high pressure system is sandwiching Texas between showers and storms on both sides with the monsoon in full gear to the west across the interior Southwest and Southern Rocky Mountains, and showers and storms to the east in the Southeast region. The pattern looks a little bit more active over Texas next week, but not much, and not too unusual for this time of year with diurnal showers and storms.
We're just coming off of the latest round of heat in the Corn Belt and we'll see some relatively "cooler" temperatures over the weekend for the central and western Belt. Another surge of hot weather is forecast by the middle of next week with perhaps a more extended outbreak of heat than what we saw this week. For the Northeast it's a similar story with a quick burst of heat to start the weekend, then somewhat "cooler" temperatures, but another surge of heat next week. Summer's still alive and well!
TROPICS: Hurricane Earl has rapidly dissipated and will likely be a remnant low come this weekend. The storm poses an inland flooding risk to Mexico. Thereafter, parts of Earl will re-emerge in the eastern Pacific and could spin up into a tropical cyclone here, but by no means would this be a continuation of what was formerly known as Earl. There is also some indication that moisture from this system could get sucked up into the Southwestern U.S., infusing the monsoon with tropical moisture and continuing showers and thunderstorms in the region.
WILD FIRES: In California, typical summer-time dryness is afoot and that's not encouraging news for areas where wild fires continue to rage. Our thoughts and prayers are with the brave men and women tirelessly fighting those fires. An active wild fire season is forecast to continue into at least autumn in California, aided by long-term drought conditions across a large portion of the state.
Have a great weekend!