This heat wave becomes official today for many cities and towns and will wind up being a four or even five days for some New England communities, with highs well into the 90s on Wednesday and again near 90 on Thursday. We broke some daily heat records yesterday in parts of northern New England and will likely again today. Humidity will fluctuate – dew points climb into the upper 60s to lower 70s tomorrow, making it feel soupy, but drier air filters in by Friday. That comfort is short-lived, as dew points rise again over the weekend, making Sunday the more humid of the two days.
Tropical Storm Erin remains far out in the Atlantic, well east of the Lesser Antilles, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and gusts to 60 mph as of the latest advisory. Danielle says Erin is expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane by Thursday and possibly reach major hurricane status (Category 3 or higher) by the weekend. While current trends favor a curve northward away from the U.S. East Coast, the storm’s position north of Puerto Rico this weekend means the East Coast will need to stay alert for forecast changes.
A cold front sweeping through the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley tomorrow will trigger scattered thunderstorms in northern and western New England by midday Wednesday, spreading east through late afternoon and evening. A few storms may linger into Thursday for southern and eastern areas, with damaging wind gusts, downpours, and lightning as the primary threats. Friday brings a notable change – bright skies, low humidity, and highs in the 80s — before temperatures rebound into the upper 80s to near 90° by Sunday.
Danielle also highlighted tonight’s optimal window to catch the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks tonight and tomorrow night. Clouds and storms will likely interfere on Wednesday, so tonight offers the best shot for viewing, despite the bright 84% moon. Look away from light sources, block the moon if possible, and you may catch 10–20 meteors per hour from Comet Swift-Tuttle’s debris.
