ARKANSAS, USA — Ah, it feels amazing outside, right? We've enjoyed a rare stretch of below-average temperatures and low humidity. Unfortunately, this comfortable stretch is going away soon. That pesky heat dome will shift back east into Arkansas by the time we get to the end of the week and into the weekend.
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Science Talk | Why is this happening?
The jet stream is expanding, forming a ridge in the central U.S. The best way to explain it is a pocket is forming and being filled with warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. It's also very moist air, which is going to make it more humid outside. Dew point values or the humidity outside will climb into the 60s and 70s again. When we have dew point values in the 70s, it's usually described as feeling "tropical" outside.
What to expect
Heat index values, or feels-like temperatures, are climbing back into the triple-digits. Models are suggesting that we could see heat index values climb anywhere between 100 and 105 degrees. We could see a few heat advisories issued across 5COUNTRY this weekend and into early next week. It's definitely not the hottest it's been this summer, but it's going to be uncomfortable.
Low Rain Chances
Weekend rain chances are pretty low — at most 20%. Given the influx in moisture, it's possible we will see a few typical summer-time pop-up showers or thunderstorms. Impacts will likely be minimal, but it is something to be mindful of if you have outdoor weekend plans.
Good news
Long-range models are showing that this heat may not last for very long. We can expect this heat to at least last until mid-to-late next week — between Aug. 21 and Aug. 23. The heat dome will start to flatten and let a cold front sneak in, bringing cooler air and some rain chances. Of course, these are long-range models that don't mean much.
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