We are enduring one more hot stretch in one of the warmest Augusts on record in Southern New England. It will be a close call as to whether this officially becomes a heat wave in the Providence area. Monday’s high temperature was 88°, so if it becomes a heat wave it will be Tuesday-Thursday. There is a high likelihood of 90°+ Tuesday and Wednesday. The way it looks now, I think it will reach 90° on Thursday, too. The overnight low temperature will be very uncomfortable for those without A/C as it falls into the mid 70s through Thursday morning.
Tuesday and Wednesday will be hazy, hot, and humid. The heat index will approach 100° inland in the afternoon. Gusty southwest winds will cool the coast. They are some great late-summer beach days! There is little chance of any rain Tuesday or Wednesday in RI and SE MA.
Thunderstorms are possible midday into the afternoon on Thursday as a cold front passes by. It will jump from the 70s to near 90 by noon before t-storms threaten. Strong to severe t-storms are possible. The weather pattern looks somewhat unsettled into the Labor Day weekend. There will likely not be any washouts between Friday and Monday, but a few showers cannot be ruled out. The best chance of showers is on Saturday, with a pop-up shower possible on Sunday. It will be cooler with temps in the 70s for a few days through Sunday. Very warm and humid weather may return by Monday afternoon.
The hurricane season peaks near September 10. There are signs that the tropics will heat up in the next few weeks. There is a better chance of a few storms forming compared to August when conditions were very unfavorable. The water temperature remains well above normal near the Northeastern United States coast, and slightly cooler than normal in the tropical Atlantic.
