Extreme heat and high humidity will stick for the next several days, as yet another heat wave moves into the eastern U.S.
Abundant sunshine will heat things up quickly each afternoon with high temperatures topping out between 96 and 101 degrees. Factoring in the humidity, the heat index or “feels like temperatures” will be between 110 and 115 degrees.
A Heat Advisory is in place from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. again on Thursday. However, hot temperatures may persist into the late night hours for New Orleans. Typically, the city stays warmer in the evening hours compared to surrounding areas because the concrete and buildings release heat slower than areas with more vegetation.
Expect additional Heat Advisories to be issued throughout the week. Because the heat index is forecast to reach 113 degrees or higher, the National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., as well.
There is only a small chance that rain will help cool things down. We have a 20 to 30 percent chance for rain each afternoon, just to account for pop up showers or storms. Any storms that develop will be brief, but may have locally heavy rainfall.
Heading into the rest of the week, rain chances will stay at about 20 percent. With any storms that form, coverage will be widely scattered and mainly after 2 PM during the peak of daytime heating.
In the tropics, we are watching a new wave coming off of the African coast. Right now, no immediate concerns exist for our area. A 20% chance of development is expected over the next 48 hours with 50% chances by the next 5 days.