Summer solstice and thunderstorms

This Sunday morning the summer solstice arrived at 4:24 a.m. Since our planet's axis is tilted 23.5º from vertical, this causes the apparent motion of the sun to reach its northernmost point in its journey across Earth's skies on the solstice every June:

Sunrise this morning at the Kerr Lake dam was at 5:55 a.m., and sunset this evening will be at 8:35 p.m. Tomorrow, those times will begin their slow slide toward shorter days.

Meanwhile, today's weather will be very summerish. Under sunny skies temperatures will top out in the low 90s this afternoon, accompanied by fairly comfortable humidity. Tonight, a southerly breeze will usher in higher dew points, with Monday morning temperatures only dipping into the low 70s. 

Tomorrow will be more uncomfortable as local thermometers work their way into the mid- and upper 90s. Gusty southerly winds will pump in more humidity, and a cold front approaching from the west will bring chances of showers and storms during late afternoon into the evening hours. The Storm Prediction Center has Mecklenburg County in a Slight Risk - level 2 of 5 - for severe weather tomorrow, mainly in the form of strong to damaging straight line winds.

The remainder of the work week looks to be typical late June weather, with off and on chances of storms and afternoon highs around the 90º mark.