Hot Friday...Scattered storms this weekend...

Some select highs from Thursday:

RDU:102
Burlington: 99
Chapel Hill: 99
Fayetteville: 98
Charlotte: 97
Wilmington: 95
Greensboro: 94

Here's today's video:


Hot Friday conditions are on tap with highs in the upper 90s around the I-85 corridor and into the 102-104 range around I-95 and the Sandhills. Afternoon heat index values will exceed 105 around the Sandhills and I-95 area and likely top out in the 100-104 degree range for the rest of the Piedmont.

A cold front will drop in this weekend and give us some scattered PM storms tomorrow and a good shower and storm chance Sunday.

The front washes out by Monday, so the chance of rain and storms will fade away. The next front is then due in here by Thursday or Friday.

Tropics...

Tropical Storm Don will make landfall tonight near the Rio Grande, likely in far south Texas. I am still hopeful that at least some of the drought-stricken areas will get some much-needed rain from the system.

There is another tropical wave way out in the Atlantic that stands a decent chance of becoming our next classified system. It could possibly wind up near the Bahamas later next week. See the video for more.

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High heat the next few days....Don in the Gulf

Highs in many Piedmont spots will top out in the upper side of the 90s today. Around the I-95 corridor, it will likely be near 100. Highs tomorrow will likely be a degree or two hotter than today.

Unlike the previous heat wave, this time around, the humidity will not be nearly as oppressive, so the heat index values won't be as extreme.

A cold front drop in this weekend and bring some shower and storm chances from later Saturday through Sunday.

Don...

Don, located near the tip of the Yucatan, is not looking terribly healthy this morning. However, some strengthening is possible as it gets over the very warm Gulf waters.

Don will come ashore along the Texas coast by later tomorrow night.

The big story with Don will likely wind up being the beneficial rains it brings to parts of the severely drought-stricken areas of Texas.

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Heating up....tropics are too...

Highs today will wind up in the mid 90s for many Piedmont spots, and then we will see upper 90s for most tomorrow. By Friday, many of our highs will be close to 100 degrees, and I still anticipate at least upper 90s for Saturday. So, heat is the big story again.

One minor bright spot is what at least today, afternoon humidity levels should be fairly low for most in the region.

The forecast is essentially a dry one until this weekend. Some afternoon storms are possible Saturday, and at this point, Sunday continues to look like a relatively unsettled day with good shower and storm chances.

Tropics...

See the video for some graphics on this, but the disturbance near western Cuba is looking pretty healthy this morning, and there are signs that a circulation is developing. This could very well get classified as a tropical depression later today.

This looks to eventually head toward the western Gulf coast, so all interests down that way need to monitor the system's progress.

A reminder....we have full tropical updates for you on News 14 Carolina at :21 and :51 past the hour.

Also, lots of good information for you on the Tropical Page portion of my site.

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Slightly drier airmass seeping in...

A cold front is stalling out in southern NC today, and slightly drier air is creeping into the region from the north. This drier air will be most noticeable along and to the north of roughly I-85 then up into the foothills and mountains. Today's rain chances will largely be confined to areas near and south and east of I-85. Most highs will be in the lower 90s.

Heat will begin to return to the region tomorrow with lots of mid 90s back in place, although the air will still be somewhat drier. Highs Thursday through Saturday look to largely be in the upper 90s, and some 100+ readings are again possible in the hotter spots, especially Friday.

Better storm chances return over the weekend, especially Sunday.

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Scattered storms today...

A weak 'cold' front is approaching the region today. Out ahead of the front, it will be another fairly hot and very muggy day with highs in the mid 90s for most in the Piedmont. However, we will also have a good coverage of scattered afternoon and evening storms. A few storms could again be locally strong to severe.

That front will stall out in eastern NC into northern SC tomorrow, and slightly less muggy air will move into the mountains, foothills, and the Piedmont down to around the I-85 corridor. Further east, it will stay muggy, and scattered storms will again fire tomorrow.

Later this week, the upper level ridge will build back into the region again, meaning an increase in the heat and humidity levels again. Look for more mid to upper 90s by the second half of the week.

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