Summer-like heat this week for the eastern-half of the country

A pattern change in the upper-levels of the atmosphere will deliver the first true taste of summer to a good chunk of the country east of the Mississippi River. A potent upper-level ridge will build and intensify over the Southeast this week, with is grip extending north into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

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Ridges typically lead to relatively dry and warm to hot temperatures as sinking air occurs beneath the ridge. This will be no different this week. The ridge will build across the eastern-half of the country through the week, which will send temperatures well above average. Temperatures will run a good ten to twenty degrees above average, with some areas flirting with record high temperatures.

Notice the images below, show the ridge building and intensifying from the beginning of the week, into mid-week, and into late week. This means temperatures will continue to climb and reach the hottest levels by the end of the week when the ridge is at its strongest. The ridge is depicted by the white-ish/pink-ish colors surging north across the East Coast.

Ridge early week

Ridge mid-week

Ridge late week

Temperatures early week will be warm, but the hottest temperatures will begin Wednesday and continue into Saturday for the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast. Widespread 80s and 90s can be expected.

Wednesday forecast high temperatures

Thursday forecast high temperatures

Friday forecast high temperatures

Saturday forecast high temperatures

While rain chances will remain low, humidity will be high which will lead to a few areas seeing heat indices climb into the 100s across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Friday and Saturday. Make sure you’re staying hydrated, and never leave the pets and kiddos in the cars. The ridge does appear to shift west late-weekend into the following week, which will allow temperatures to slowly decrease a few degrees.

Below are the forecast high and low temperatures for a few select cities:

Atlanta, GA

Columbia, SC

Raleigh, NC

Chattanooga, TN

Richmond, VA