Maryland Weather: Dangerous Heat; Storms Return Wednesday

BALTIMORE -- A heat dome over the central United States is shifting eastward this week, causing temperatures and humidity to gradually rise through midweek. This afternoon, expect partly cloudy skies with hot and humid conditions. High temperatures will reach the upper 80s to near 90 degrees. There is a chance for strong storms later today, primarily before 7 p.m. The best chance for storms will be southwest of a line from Hagerstown to Frederick to Rockville, including areas south and west of the Baltimore metro area.

Damaging wind gusts are the most likely threat, but the overall severe weather threat appears to be isolated. Most areas will likely remain dry this evening. However, the Storm Prediction Center has placed most of the state under a MARGINAL level 1 of 5 risk for severe storms this afternoon and evening.

Overnight, temperatures will drop into the mid to upper 60s under partly cloudy skies. On Tuesday, expect mostly sunny skies with high temperatures reaching 90 degrees in many locations. Wednesday is expected to be the hottest day of the week. The WJZ First Alert weather team has issued a First Alert Weather Day for Wednesday, primarily due to the heat. There is also a chance for strong to severe storms late Wednesday evening into Wednesday night as storms move out of Pennsylvania and Ohio into the western and northern parts of the state, likely after dark.

The severe weather threat will gradually diminish further south and east, with the greatest chance for severe storms north and west of Baltimore, close to the Pennsylvania border. Damaging wind gusts will again be the most likely threat. Before the storms arrive, high temperatures Wednesday afternoon will likely reach the mid to upper 90s, with high humidity pushing heat index values to around 105 degrees in many areas.

Fortunately, the intense heat and humidity will be short-lived. As the week ends, the high-pressure ridge will retreat, allowing temperatures to fall back into the 80s for highs by Friday and into the early part of the weekend. There will continue to be chances for scattered showers and storms through the end of the week and into the first part of the weekend.

The best chance for rain this weekend will be on Saturday as a cold front moves through the region. Expect a return to dry weather on Sunday and for Labor Day, with high temperatures in the mid-80s through the weekend and into the holiday. Overnight temperatures will drop into the 50s by Monday night, with lows remaining in the mid-50s through at least next Wednesday.

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