Another round of dangerous heat is settling over the North Escambia area, with a heat advisory in effect Thursday as afternoon heat index values climb into the 108-to-112-degree range. Forecasters say scattered afternoon thunderstorms will keep popping up through the week, some capable of producing brief heavy rainfall and locally strong to damaging wind gusts.
The National Weather Service typically issues a heat advisory when the heat index — a measure of how hot it actually feels once humidity is factored in with air temperature — is expected to reach the triple digits for a sustained period, since that combination raises the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke for anyone spending extended time outdoors.
Thursday: Heat advisory in effect
Thursday carries a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m., with mostly sunny skies otherwise and a high near 94 degrees. Despite the relatively routine high temperature, humidity will push the heat index as high as 106 degrees. Winds will be light out of the northwest around 5 mph, becoming calm by afternoon.
Thursday night should stay mostly quiet, with a 30 percent chance of showers and storms before 10 p.m. Skies will turn mostly cloudy before gradually clearing, and the low will settle around 75 degrees.
Friday: Better rain chances, still steamy
Friday brings the best rain chances of the stretch, with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Skies will otherwise be sunny, with a high near 94 degrees and a heat index climbing as high as 107 degrees. Winds will be calm in the morning, becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Friday night looks quieter, with just a 30 percent chance of showers and storms before 1 a.m., partly cloudy skies and a low around 74 degrees.
Weekend: Storm chances ease, heat lingers
Rain chances trend downward heading into the weekend. Saturday calls for a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m., mostly sunny skies, and a slightly lower high near 92 degrees. Saturday night should be partly cloudy with a low around 73 degrees.
Sunday looks like the driest day of the stretch, with sunny skies, a high near 94 degrees, and no measurable rain chance in the forecast. Winds will be calm, becoming light out of the north. Sunday night should stay mostly clear with a low around 74 degrees.
Early next week: Typical late-summer pattern returns
The unsettled, hot pattern is expected to continue into next week. Monday brings a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m., with sunny skies and a high near 93 degrees, followed by a partly cloudy night around 74 degrees.
Tuesday looks similar, with a 30 percent chance of showers and storms and a high near 94 degrees, dropping to a 20 percent chance overnight with a low around 74 degrees. Wednesday rounds out the outlook with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and a high near 93 degrees.
Staying safe in the heat
Forecasters continue to urge residents across the North Escambia area to limit prolonged outdoor activity during peak afternoon heat, stay hydrated, wear light-colored clothing, and check on elderly neighbors and pets. Anyone caught outdoors when afternoon storms develop should also be mindful of the potential for sudden strong wind gusts and lightning, both of which can turn a routine summer storm dangerous with little warning.