Heat and humidity to stick around through next week

If you are a fan of the summer heat and humidity, you are in luck! The heat and humidity that we have seen today is expected to last through the next week, and possibly beyond.

Monday may end up being our coolest day of the week depending on how fast the cloud cover from overnight/early morning storms clears out. If we see more sun Monday, then high temperatures will likely be warmer than expected, with dew points in the upper 60F’s to lower 70F’s.

Tuesday through Thursday, the heat index values will be in the “caution” territory, thanks to daily high temperatures reaching into the upper 80F’s, and continued stifling humidity. Shade and water breaks are heavily advised if you have any outdoor plans or will be working outdoors to prevent heat related illness.

By the end of the week, dew points may begin to decrease somewhat, but there is no solid agreement on when we kick the soupy air mass we are currently experiencing. With the potential drop in high temperatures and dew points, heat index values will be slightly lower.

The Climate Prediction Center has issued decent odds of Minnesota and Iowa remaining above average in terms of daily high temperatures through the 9th of August. This comes as a ridge of high pressure is expected to set up shop across the Rocky Mountains and remain relatively stationary for an extended period of time.

Atmospheric patterns such as these often times lead to prolonged heat waves across the western and central portions of the United States. Therefore, it likely that we may continue to see very warm temperatures through the beginning of August.