Heat, humidity, but little rain for the weekend

Both temperatures and dew points began today - Friday - around Mecklenburg county in the mid-60s. Thermometer readings will climb into the low 90s this afternoon, with the heat index (how it actually feels) a couple degrees higher thanks to the increasing humidity. That qualifies as a hot sticky day to end the work week.

The weekend will bring even hotter and stickier conditions. Afternoon highs will top out in the mid- to upper 90s under clear skies and amid southwesterly breezes. Increasing dew point readings will result in (a) warmer morning temperatures and (b) higher heat index values both Saturday and Sunday. In fact, morning temperatures will likely remain at or above 70 degrees for the next several days, and the afternoon heat indices look to climb into the triple digit range.

A weak cold front will cross the Appalachian mountains on Sunday night, bringing a chance of showers and thunderstorms. However, rain amounts look to be light and the air behind this boundary isn't cool. The scarcity of rainfall will thus continue, exacerbating the dry conditions shown on this week's Drought Monitor graphic:

The rapid increase in the dryness across Virginia is noteworthy. Last week 37% of the Old Dominion was considered "Abnormally Dry". This week the combination of that category and the "Moderate Drought" area shot up to over 95% of the state. A peek at the forecast models indicates less than an inch of rain is expected for Mecklenburg county through the end of June. That won't alleviate these dry conditions at all!