Today - Friday - began with Mecklenburg county thermometers only dropping into the low 70s. This afternoon temperatures in the upper 90s combined with dew points in the mid-70s will lead to heat indices approaching the 110 degree mark. That is a dangerous level, high enough for the National Weather Service to issue an Excessive Heat Warning (magenta shade) for the region:
Folks outdoors should take frequent breaks in the shade and/or air conditioning today, drinking plenty of water to stave off heat exhaustion or worse. There is a small chance of scattered showers and storms, but any that occur across the county will come very late in the afternoon.
Tonight's temperatures will drop only into the mid- and upper 70s, not enough for people and animals to recuperate from the day's torrid conditions. This kind of jungle-like humidity holds the heat very efficiently even during the nighttime hours. It would be a good idea to keep an eye on those who don't have access to air conditioning to ensure their safety and health.
After another sticky morning Saturday's conditions may prompt the National Weather Service to issue another Excessive Heat Warning. A mitigating factor in tomorrow's forecast will be more clouds and a better chance of afternoon showers and storms. That will be thanks to a "cold" front which will stall out across Virginia for the next several days. This time of year the Old Dominion is a graveyard of slowly dissipating boundaries, which will increase precipitation chances for Mecklenburg county.
As a result of that stalled front Sunday looks to be mostly cloudy with a decent chance of showers and storms. While dew points will remain in the very sticky range temperatures will top out in the upper 80s to near 90 degrees. It won't be a truly comfortable day, but Sunday will feel less oppressive than today and Saturday.
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