ANOTHER BURNER...

A hot wind flamed highs of 90-95 Monday, making it the hottest day of 2024 to date. Another burner is in store Tuesday with similar highs and humidity. That yields heat index values (how it feels) of 95 to 100 degrees. A heat advisory will be in effect from 10:00am until 8:00pm.

While this is a healthy batch of heat for mid-June, highs will be still be several degrees short of records, which for Tuesday are in the upper 90s. Record warm low temperatures are a different story, they are in the low to mid 70s Tuesday morning and mid to upper 70s Wednesday morning. We should give them a good run. If nothing else, this is fine corn growing weather.

SOME MID-WEEK CHANGES

The core of the heat dome remains largely unchanged Tuesday, situated over Virginia. That keeps the overall synoptic weather nearly identical.

However, Tuesday night and Wednesday, the ridge weakens slightly and shifts into the Atlantic. That allows the western periphery of the heat to weaken just enough to allow a cold front to enter the region. With that comes an increased threat of thunderstorms and, potentially, some relief for a day or two.

The front's impacts from a thunderstorm perspective will be heavily tied to its arrival. The optimal time for storms to blossom is late afternoon or evening. At that time, the front will still be in western Iowa, so the strongest storms will be focused there. As the night goes on, the remnants of those storms will congeal into a complex and march east. However, the front does not reach my NW counties until day break, and by then any remaining storms should be substantially weaker as instability fades. As it stands now, much of the region aside from the NW stays dry and very mild Tuesday night.

Wednesday, the front turns nearly stationary from SW to NE through the heart of my area. Not only will it be the focus for scattered thunderstorms, but it will delineate a cooler air mass to its NW from the high heat and humidity to its SE. There should be a decent thermal boundary separating highs in the low 80s NW to the low to mid 90s SE. While storms and remnant clouds may be scattered around the NW half of my area, spots SE of the Quad Cities will most likely have another dry day.

It appears that the ridge tries to expand again late week and in doing so, stops the progress of the front and may even force it back to the north, a trend I'm beginning to like. That means the threat of scattered storms remains NW of the Quad Cities, where it's another toasty day from there SE. Highs Thursday will remain in the low to mid 90s south and bounce back into the upper 80s north. Dew points both Wednesday and Thursday will be in the upper 60s to low 70s, meaning muggy weather is very much on the table no matter where the front is positioned.

Here's what models are suggesting for rain totals through Thursday night.

The EURO

The GFS

The Hi-Res GEM

The 12k NAM

Friday and Saturday it's back to hot steamy conditions with highs in the low to mid 90s and heat index values pushing 100.

RELIEF

Saturday night, a strong short wave cuts along the northern edge of the heat dome and appears to have enough clout to buckle the flow and send a cold front through the entire region. It shows up nicely at 500mb.

Showers and storms are likely to form along the front as it drives SE Saturday night. Mesoscale details such as timing will determine the extent, coverage, and severity of any storms. Whatever happens, temperatures should cool and humidity levels drop for a couple of days after its passage. However, the reprieve appears temporary, as the heat rebuilds shortly thereafter.

That's where things stand for now. Brace yourself for another cooker this afternoon. Roll weather....TS

A PERSONAL INVITATION...

It's vacation season and there is no better place to visit than Galena and no better place to stay than my newly renovated AIRBNB, the Little White Church. We are located in the bluffs, just 5 miles from the 2nd largest tourism destination in Illinois. In fact, "Tourist Destination", rated Galena as the 2023 top place to visit in the entire Midwest.

Now is the best time to enjoy all there is to offer, and my 5-star AIRBNB is the perfect location to stay. Set in the rolling hills just outside of town, our completely renovated church is designed for you to unwind and relax.

Again, we are an AIRBNB Super host and can accommodate up to 8 guests. We've got cable, hi-speed WIFI, Sirius XM and a sparkling full kitchen. We are a home away from home and take great pride in cleanliness and comfort. All of our ratings have attained perfect 5-star status!

MAKE US AN OFFER...

What about pricing? Right now, we are able to offer you our best pricing ever. We have 3 nights for the price of 2 which, depending on the days, can save as much as $300-$400 dollars. If you book directly through us, you can also eliminate booking fees and taxes that the big chains charge. Cleaning fees are also drastically reduced. It all adds up to exceptional deals at a destination worth visiting. Let us work with you to find a time and price that works for you. Here's a link to some pictures. https://www.tswails.com/galena-airbnb

Carolyn and I will do all we can to make sure your stay is a memorable one. Please call or text Carolyn for more details and options and get a prime date while they are still available. Again, that's Carolyn at 563-676-3320.

Hope to see you soon,

Terry and Carolyn

7 GREAT REASONS TO VISIT GALENA

1. It’s Steeped In History

2. It’s Home To One Of The Best Main Streets In America

3. The Restaurants Are Amazing

4. There’s A Lot To Do Outdoors

5. You Don’t Have To Travel To The Mountains To Go Skiing

6. It’s A Great Place To Spend The Fourth Of July

7. Did I Mention The Shopping?