COLUMBIA, S.C. — We've kept the upper 90s away for a good part of this summer, but that looks to change quickly over the next few days, as we could get very close to the triple digits.
A Heat Advisory has been issued for most of the Midlands this Sunday by the National Weather Service. The main reason is the combination of heat in the upper 90s and dewpoints in the 70s. This should bring us heat index values between 105-110 in the afternoon. If you must be outside during these hours, staying hydrated and taking plenty of breaks is essential.
An area of high pressure has been sitting near the Gulf Coast for most of this week, and it is expected to build far enough East over the coming days that we will likely experience the hottest weather of the year so far. Highs, especially on Sunday and Monday, look to be around 97 to 99 for most communities, and we cannot rule out 100 degrees as a high. As for right now, I think most of us stay below the triple digits.
Even with us only being in the 90s, the feels-like temperature will be in the triple digits for everyone. Plenty of moisture is present in the area, with dewpoints in the middle 70s for most of this week. That means the heat index should be around 105 to 110 every afternoon through Tuesday.
The good news is that this heat is somewhat short-lived, with rain returning into the forecast Tuesday afternoon. We should see cooler conditions settle in with more rain chances bringing highs back into the lower 90s.
Some models have trended toward another stretch of middle to upper 90s next weekend, but we will have to wait and see how that develops.
