The truly dangerous combination of heat and humidity last week has backed off, leaving behind more typical summertime conditions for Mecklenburg County. The 30 year average for the daily high temperature is 90ยบ for pretty much all of July, and that will be the case this week. Today - Monday - looks to be close to that average with local thermometers topping out in the low 90s accompanied by sticky humidity.
Tuesday will feature the same conditions, albeit with greater chances of storms during late afternoon into the evening hours. A cold front pressing across the Appalachian Mountains will stir up convection, prompting the Storm Prediction Center to issue a Marginal Risk - level 1 of 5 - for severe weather tomorrow. Folks should be aware of changes in the weather as the day progresses, keeping at least two sources of weather alerts at hand.
The official National Weather Service definition of a severe thunderstorm is one that has either 60 mph winds or hail one inch or more in diameter (or both!). Lightning is NOT a criterion for a severe storm since every thunderstorm produces dangerous lightning. This video from Logan Martin Lake in Alabama shows what happened to some unfortunate boaters during a thunderstorm Sunday afternoon. Here's a still photo (by 94.1 FM The River):
Folks outdoors should take heed and seek shelter inside a building or a vehicle anytime thunder is heard. It doesn't have to be raining at a location for lightning to strike.
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