It was an oppressively hot start to the work week in the Northeast as heat indices climbed above 100° Monday afternoon. It looks like we will get some slight relief from the heat by midweek, but at the same time, the chance for showers and storms will increase. We'll get back to the forecast in a minute, first let's take a look at the average temperatures for mid to late July. This is climatologically the warmest time of the year. In other words, average highs peak this week then start their slide back down towards winter.
| Average High | Average Low | |
| Boston | 82 | 66 |
| Hartford | 85 | 63 |
| New York City | 84 | 69 |
| Philadelphia | 87 | 70 |
| Baltimore | 87 | 67 |
| Washington, DC | 89 | 71 |
The pattern has been rather warm over the last few weeks as high temps have been running about 10 - 15 degrees above normal. So, that brings us to Tuesday. It will once again be hot, but a weak cold front will slide down through New York City and at least drop the humidity a bit for Tuesday afternoon. However, locations from Philadelphia to Washington, DC will stay quite steamy. Here is a look at the forecast heat index for 2 PM Tuesday.
Courtesy Pivotal Weather
Beyond that, the weather gets a bit more unsettled for Wednesday and Thursday. A disturbance will kick off a few showers and storms on Wednesday. Then, a cold front will approach the I-95 corridor on Thursday. This will result in another round of storms, especially Thursday afternoon. Storms on Thursday will also have the potential to become severe and produce damaging winds and hail. Also, there will be some downpours in the Northeast both Wednesday and Thursday with any storms. Localized flooding may be a concern, especially in urban areas. Here is a look at total rainfall expected.
Courtesy Pivotal Weather
The front will sweep off the East Coast Thursday night. This will be followed by a cooler and much drier air mass, lending to a quiet and seasonable Friday. Have a great week everyone and stay hydrated if you are outside for an extended amount of time.
