DELMARVA FORECAST
Friday night: Mostly clear. A pop-up thunderstorm is possible in the evening. Lows in the mid 70s. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Isolated afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Highs around 90°F. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Sunday: Scattered thunderstorms. Highs near 90°F. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Monday: Mostly sunny. An isolated pop-up thunderstorm possible. Highs around 90°F. Chance of rain less than 20 percent.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny. An isolated pop-up thunderstorm possible. Highs in the low 90s. Chance of rain less than 20 percent.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Scattered thunderstorms late. Highs in the low to mid 90s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s.
Friday: Partly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the low to mid 80s.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
Normal high: 87°F. Normal low: 69°F.
Unseasonably hot weather returned to Delmarva today, with much of the peninsula seeing temperatures climb into the low to mid 90s, feeling like 105°F or more at times.
While Friday is likely to be the hottest day in the forecast period, temperatures are expected to remain above normal through the middle of next week.
As a weak backdoor cold front approaches from the northwest, it will have an opportunity to trigger a few pop-up thunderstorms Friday evening, with the highest chances on the Maryland Midshore and over Delaware, where there is a Level 1 "Marginal" threat for severe weather. Damaging winds, downpours, and lightning are the primary threats.
Saturday won't be as hot as Friday was, and there are no heat advisories expected at this time. Highs, though, will climb to about 90°F for much of the peninsula, with cooler temperatures along the coast thanks to a light breeze off the Atlantic Ocean. Pop-up thunderstorms are possible thanks to the proximity of that cold front, with all of Delmarva under a Level 1 Threat for severe weather. Gusty downpours and lightning are again the main threats.
The aforementioned backdoor cold front will wash out Sunday, and with a disturbance crossing the Mid-Atlantic, we'll see more widespread showers and thunderstorms.
The upper ridge strengthens a bit through the middle of next week, with mostly sunny skies and temperatures climbing each afternoon into the low 90s, with mid 90s most likely on Wednesday. Pop-up thunderstorms are possible in the heat and humidity, but the chances are very low, especially on Monday and Tuesday.
A more substantial cold front will bring more widespread showers and thunderstorms in the Thursday-Friday timeframe with much cooler temperatures expected for the first days of August.
In the long range, temperatures are expected to average below normal, and precipitation near normal for August 1 - August 7.
In the Tropics: An area of low pressure over the northern Gulf has a low, 10 percent, chance of tropical development in the next several days. The low is likely to move over land, which will limit any potential for tropical development, therefore the low confidence in development.
The Atlantic hurricane season ends on November 30.