Hey, remember when we all complained that it was freezing just a couple of months ago? Think some of those cool, cool thoughts while we roast in the heat and humidity next week. Temperatures could climb into the 90s as far north as New Jersey, with muggy 80s stretching into New England.

After last year’s cakewalk—where you could open your windows more days than not during the spring and summer—such a prolonged blast of heat so early in the year is rude wake-up call that June 1 is the first day of meteorological summer. It’s not abnormal to get a heat wave early in the season, and nature is about to remind us who’s in charge.

Why is this happening? Take a look at the enormous Ridge of Doom that’s going to swing over the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada early next week:

Ridges in the jet stream foster calm, warm weather at the surface, which is the same reason why the West Coast has slowly shriveled into a dry shell of its former self over the past couple of years. This large ridge will help strengthen and maintain a hearty center of high pressure near Bermuda, which will allow winds to blow from the south across much of the eastern United States.

The Climate Prediction Center shows a high confidence in above-average temperatures next week, especially closer to the coast:

Temperatures will start getting uncomfortable on Monday, with 90s creeping into the Mid-Atlantic, and the heat will dig in and climb north as the week drags on. The National Weather Service expects Washington D.C. to see a high of 95°F next Wednesday, 90°F in Philly, and 83°F in New York City, not to mention the widespread 80s and 90s across the southeast.

Here are Monday’s forecast highs:

...and for Tuesday...

...and Wednesday:

The toasty pattern will continue straight through next weekend if the forecasts verify; The Weather Channel predicts high temperatures stuck in the low 90s here at The Vane’s Nerdquarters near Greensboro, North Carolina, and a similar story will play out in most spots south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Not only will it be hot, but it’s also going to be humid. Dew points in many location will push the upper 60s, which is uncomfortable and will lead to head indices pushing 100°F at times.

When we deal with heat like this, never leave children or pets in a hot car, even for a couple of minutes. Temperatures quickly climb into the triple digits in a parked car, and vulnerable people and animals can succumb to the excessive heat in a matter of minutes.

In addition to the heat, this soupy airmass will lead to a delightfully Mobilian pattern, with scattered showers and thunderstorms possible almost each day next week as daytime heating takes hold and we see pop-up storms. It’s virtually impossible to figure out where these pop-up storms will pop up (hence the name!), so it’s a good idea to work the chance of storms into any plans you have next week.

Welcome to summer.



[Maps by the author | Model image by Tropical Tidbits ]

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