Wednesday, July 31 Forecast: Heat and humidity get a haircut

The summer surge continues with afternoon highs Wednesday in the mid-90s. Springfield recorded its hottest temperature since early July, and it came with heat indices that topped 105°. More heat and humidity can be expected Thursday ahead of a cold front, but that front will give our current heatwave a haircut.

That cold front will generate a risk of severe storms north and northwest of our area. The stormy leftovers will bring a risk of showers and thunderstorms after midnight to communities closer to Central Missouri. The storms will be running out of gas as they move in but may still pack a punch with strong wind gusts possible as far southeast as I-44. We’ll also likely find leftover cloud cover spilling south across all of the Ozarks by sunrise.

The increase in cloud cover will continue into Thursday with partly cloudy skies expected over Southern Missouri. This will also be the favored area for a spotty shower or thunderstorm during the day. Temperatures will remain hot, but afternoon highs may be hampered a bit by daytime clouds with afternoon highs generally between 93° and 96° with heat indices back up around 105°.

The cold front will likely trigger additional spotty showers and thunderstorms Thursday evening. A few stronger storms could produce locally strong wind gusts.

Drier air will move in behind the front cooling Friday morning lows to a level that should be a bit more comfortable.

Friday through Sunday looks bright, quiet, and “typically” hot for early August. The evenings and mornings will be pretty comfortable, but it will be hot during the afternoon.

The early August heat looks to remain firmly in place early next week as the summer ridge expands east once again. The flat ridge may open the door for some western wildfire smoke and hazy skies. The pattern also looks very dry. Temperatures will climb through early next week with our hottest day of the summer on the table for Tuesday’s weather.

There are still signals for a broad trough to develop later next week that may open the door to a more substantial cooldown. More to come.

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