Drenching Storms to Wipe Out Extreme Heat in Carolinas
A slow-moving cold front in the Southeast will be the focal point for drenching and locally severe storms this afternoon. The thunderstorms will help to wipe out the extreme and oppressive heat in the southern mid-Atlantic and much of the Carolinas.
Northern Alabama to the Carolinas will be at risk for storms with locally damaging wind gusts and flash flooding, while torrential downpours from storms in the lower Mississippi Valley will also cause flooding concerns in some communities.
Atlanta, Augusta and Columbia are among the cities at risk for potentially damaging thunderstorms. Motorists and airline passengers should expect some delays in these cities.
Although the heat relief will come at a price with the threatening storms, many people will welcome the relief from the extreme heat in the Carolinas, following several days of highs in the upper 90s and 100s.
In Richmond, Va., daily record highs of 105 degrees were set on both Saturday and Sunday.
After climbing into the mid-90s and even 100s in a couple of locations today, highs will be cut back to the upper 80s and low 90s on Tuesday.
The storms can even slice the temperature by several degrees this afternoon. On Sunday, a storm caused the temperature to drop from 94 degrees to 77 degrees in just 15 minutes in Wilmington, Del.
The temperature also plummeted 24 degrees in one hour on Sunday in Washington, D.C., as thunderstorms rumbled through.
Farther west from the lower Mississippi Valley into the Tennessee Valley, a deep flow of humid air will help to fuel heavy storms, especially over eastern Texas and Louisiana. From 1 to 3 inches of rain can pour down over some areas in the matter of hours.
Houston and Tyler, Texas, as well as Shreveport and New Orleans, La., will be soaked by storms that can result in some travel disruptions and flash flooding.
If you come across a flooded roadway, turn around and find an alternate route. Doing so can save your life.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 86° | Borrego Springs, CA |
| Low | -18° | Flag Island, MN |
| Precip | 1.60" | West Palm Beach, FL |
WeatherWhys®
The "Dead of Winter," the one-month period when normal temperatures reach their lowest levels, has come to an end for much of the United States. Some people may find it odd that the "Dead of Winter" does not encompass the darkest day of the year (the first day of winter). That is due to a seasonal lag in temperatures. More heat continues to be lost than is gained from the start of winter until this time of year.
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