Nashville area once again in drought amid high heat, 'abnormally' dry conditions

The Nashville area is in for several, consecutive days of high temperatures. Beginning on Friday, temperatures in the Nashville area will be pushing 100 degrees while heat index values reach over 100.

Friday's high will be near 96 and heat index values will reach 101. Saturday's temperatures will only increase with a high of 98 and heat index values as high as 104. Conditions will continue to heat up on Sunday with a high near 98. Temperatures will remain in the high 90's throughout the following week.

Despite the high temperatures, most of the Nashville area will stay below the heat advisory criteria (105 heat index) until Tuesday. However, conditions will still be hot and uncomfortable with increased humidity, said National Weather Service meteorologist Paige Baggett.

Additionally, as a result of the recent heat and lack of rainfall, drought conditions have returned rapidly to Tennessee, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Ryan Husted. The drought is expected to bring along abnormally dry conditions (D0) for Nashville and the surrounding areas.

"The forecast for the next 7-14 days brings a little hope as it seems there will be a front that moves into the region, bringing us slightly cooler temperatures and increased chances for rain," said Husted. "The pattern will become more active, but as of now, to me it doesn't look like a drought buster."

Here's what else to know about drought conditions in Middle Tennessee.

Expect dry conditions and high temperatures as the drought returns to Middle Tennessee

According to the weather service, the abnormally dry conditions will mainly affect areas along and south of Interstate 40. The southern half of Middle Tennessee will experience a moderate drought while portions of Cumberland County and areas of south-central Middle Tennessee experience a severe drought.

Most of Middle Tennessee along and south of Interstate 40 have received 5 to 25% of normal precipitation over the past 30 days. In Nashville, the normal, average precipitation for June is 4.36".

The weather service predicts that there is a 33 to 40% chance temperatures will be above normal throughout July . In Nashville, the average July temperature is 81 while the average high is 91.

Most of the mid-state is expected to receive rainfall amounts of 0.5 inches or less over the next seven days. The drought is expected to persist or worsen for most of Tennessee throughout the summer, said the weather service.

What to avoid during a drought

The weather service recommends reducing both household and outdoors water usage during a drought. Reducing water usage indoors includes:

• Identifying and repairing leaks
• Taking shorter showers
• Turning off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving
• Running the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.

Reducing water usage outdoors includes:

• Watering your lawn less frequently and when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening
• Consulting with your local government or nursery to select drought-tolerant plants and trees

According to the weather service, dry conditions can often lead to brush fires or wildfires. It is recommended to avoid burning brush or trash during dry conditions and comply with other safety precautions.

Nashville 7-day forecast

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 96 and heat index values as high as 101. Mostly clear, with a low around 72 at night.

Saturday: Patchy fog before 7 a.m. Otherwise, sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Heat index values will reach as high as 104. Mostly clear, with a low around 74 at night.

Sunday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Mostly clear, with a low around 75 at night.

Monday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Mostly clear, with a low around 77 at night.

Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99 and a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 77 at night, and a 20%chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny and hot with a high near 98, showers and thunderstorms likely. The chance of precipitation is 60%. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74 at night and a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 92 and a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville area once again in drought amid high heat, 'abnormally' dry conditions