Good morning folks, we’ve got a big week of impactful Summer heat and humidity developing as we head into July and the 4th of July holiday, and at the moment I can’t rule out some natural fireworks for the 4th itself, so let’s get down to brass tacks, get this show on the road, and jump into the details before my perspirational pores down-pour my salty waters of soupy sadness onto (and thereby short-circuit) my computer later this week – on to the tidbits, people!

For today and most of Tuesday (after patchy dense fog burns off this morning), we’ve got our pick of the week with mostly sunny skies, light winds, and highs in the 80s, with a few 90º readings in the southern valley by Tuesday mid-afternoon. Lows dip to either side of 60º tonight so Tuesday morning will be our last fairly refreshing morning for many days to come.

By Tuesday evening, our upper ridge will be climbing northward along the eastern U.S. as a wave of energy tracks along it’s northward-bulging periphery, which will send said wave diving southeast into southwest New England.

This may spark a round of showers and thunderstorms, and some guidance is indicating some strong to severe storms possible, especially in the Berkshires and northwest CT around and after dinner time. Strong gusty winds could accompany one or two of these cells, and the Storm Prediction Center has that area outlined as a Level 1 out of 5 severe risk. If trends continue, that could pop up to a Level 2 in the southern Berkshires and Litchfield County.

After lows in the mid to upper 60s Tuesday night and the wave off the south coast, we are set to roast Wednesday through Saturday, peaking on Thursday.

Extreme Heat Watches have been hoisted for the greater WMass region except for northern Litchfield County CT, the Berkshires, and SVT, but that may change as we get closer, and I imagine all if not most of those Watch-excepted (for now) areas would see Heat Advisories posted as we get closer.

The bottom line is that a potent heat wave is coming, which will be accompanied by high humidity with dewpoints in the upper 60s to low to mid 70s.

Highs Wednesday will reach the upper 80s to mid 90s, and then in the 90s for Thursday and Friday, possibly reaching 100º.

With that level of heat and humidity, heat index values could push 110º for the late-week period, so I can’t stress enough the need to stay hydrated, and to find ways to cool down if you can, especially if you are working and recreating outside. Educate yourself about the signs of heat illnesses and take extra care.

Lows will not provide much relief, settling down in the upper 60s to mid 70s with very humid conditions into the weekend.

By Saturday, hot and humid conditions are expected to continue, but the upper ridge will be receding southwest and pulling its influence away from New England, which will allow a wave and front with cooler temps aloft to press into this antecedent heat and humidity.

This could set up a more unstable atmosphere, allowing for showers and thunderstorms to develop by Saturday afternoon and possibly last into Sunday.

This, of course, has implications for the 4th of July holiday weekend, the James Taylor concert at Tanglewood, and lots of other events, so I will be updating you the whole way in terms of timing, impacts, and more.

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.”
― Joseph Campbell

YOUR NUTSHELL:
–Surface high pressure covers the eastern U.S., as our warm-up commences
–In addition, our upper ridge is nosed up into the southern Great Lakes and will climb the Appalachian Mountains northward towards New England thru mid-week
–Highs today will reach the 80s under mostly sunny skies with lows either side of 60º under mostly clear skies
–Tuesday warms a bit more with more 80s expected with some hitting 90º in the southern valley areas.
–It’s mostly sunny early, but a wave may bring showers and thunderstorms, with a strong to severe storm possible with strong wind gusts Tuesday evening west of I-91
–Lows will dip into the mid to upper 60s as humidity creeps up
–By Wednesday, we’re hazy, hot and humid with highs in the upper 80s to mid 90s with dewpoints well into the 60s to 70º
–Lows will fall to either side of 70º
–Thursday is peak heat and humidity with highs in the 90s to 100º and heat indices pushing 110º
–You *must* hydrate and find ways to cool yourself, even by using a cool, damp washcloth on your forehead
–Lows will be in the low to mid 70s, continued very humid
–Friday heat and humidity looks similar with highs well into the 90s to near 100º and heat indices over 105º (combo of heat and humidity)
–During this heat wave from Wed. to Fri. it should be mostly sunny under the upper ridge, but that breaks down this weekend
–It still should be hot and humid with the heat wave continuing on Saturday, but more showers and thunderstorms will be possible sometime on Saturday or Saturday night
–Sunday is “cooler” but still very warm to hot with highs 85-90º with showers possible

YOUR DAILY CELESTIALS
STAR:
–OUR STAR ROSE AT: 5:17am this morning
–OUR STAR SETS AT: 8:30pm this evening
–TOTAL DAYLIGHT TIME: 15 hours and 13 minutes

MOON:
–OUR MOON RISES AT: 8:48pm this evening
–MOON RISE DIRECTION: Southeast
–OUR MOON SETS AT: 5:26am tomorrow morning
–MOON SET DIRECTION: Southwest
–MOON PHASE: Full Strawberry Moon!