19 July 2011

Plains Heat is Moving East, While Iowa & Minnesota Melt Under Extreme Heat

Posted by Dan Satterfield

The intense heat and humidity will spread east by Friday. Dangerously high heat indexes appear likely in VA and NC.

 

The latest GOES 13 imagery shows the intense heat and the ring of fire (thunderstorms) around the upper level high. NOAA img ctsy Univ. Wisc- CIMMS.

 

The intense upper level high responsible for the heat in the Plains will move eastward later this week, with heat indexes over 115 are very possible in the Washington, DC area. There are some signs that the heat will abate somewhat next week, especially east of the Mississippi, but the Southern Plains will continue to bake. I saw an 80+ dewpoint in North Dakota yesterday- amazing. Minneapolis tied their highest all time dewpoint at 81F (27.2C).

Tropical Storm Bret is undergoing shear, and the center is now exposed, so weakening is very likely…

From NOAA’s Hydrometeorolgical Prediction Center:

...SELECTED HIGH HEAT INDEX VALUES FROM MONDAY JUL 18 2011...

...ILLINOIS...
FREEPORT                                      124
MOLINE                                        112
RANTOUL                                       111

...INDIANA...
GRISSOM AFB                                   110
LAFAYETTE                                     106

...IOWA...
KNOXVILLE                                     131
NEWTON                                        129
ATLANTIC                                      126
COUNCIL BLUFFS                                126
ORANGE CITY                                   123
ALGONA                                        122
ANKENY                                        122

...KANSAS...
LAWRENCE                                      110
TOPEKA                                        108

...MICHIGAN...
LENAWEE COUNTY ARPT                           107
ANN ARBOR                                     105

...MINNESOTA...
MADISON                                       124
HUTCHINSON                                    123
AUSTIN                                        121
REDWOOD FALLS                                 119
ROCHESTER                                     118