Why temperatures will temporarily drop in much of the US next week

Mid-July is typically the hottest time of the year, but several regions in the United States will experience a brief respite from the heat in the coming days.

The caveat? Thunderstorms with torrential rain will be the culprit for the cooler temperatures, forecasts show.

Much of the South will remain unsettled through next week, with widespread summer thunderstorms developing each day along the Gulf Coast and into the mid-Atlantic, from Houston and New Orleans to Atlanta and Raleigh,

There is the possibility of some flash flooding each day in these areas where the heaviest downpours develop.

Some spots could see three to six inches over the next five days, forecasts show. This stormy and unsettled pattern is expected to continue into next week along with below-normal temperatures.

Below-normal temperatures are expected for much of the Central U.S., including the Central and Southern Plains as well as the mid-South. The core of the below-normal temperatures will include regions around Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. Cities like Dallas, Houston, Shreveport, Little Rock and Oklahoma City can expect temperatures in the mid to upper 80s at times this weekend into next week.

It will be a much-needed break from the heat for these areas, but they will also have to deal with some rain and storms in place of the scorching temperatures they have been dealing with since the summer began.

The rain will be welcome in some spots in the Plains and the Southeast that experiencing drought conditions.

The heat will continue, however, elsewhere in the country,

The West will be dealing with another heat wave, with heat warnings in effect from Phoenix, Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Boise.

Longterm significant relief from extreme heat will likely not occur in the near future. The hottest parts of the year in the U.S. typically occur in July, and much of the country will likely see above-average temperatures for the remainder of July into early August.

Several significant heat waves are likely around the country through the rest of the summer.

Temperatures in the regions experiencing a cool-down next week will likely climb once again this season.