The Death Ridge Builds In

Sunshine has finally returned across the region as a high moves in from the north. This will continue to stick around for the next several days as major ridging is setting up across the United States. What does that mean for us ahead? Well....VERY warm temperatures and muggy conditions. 

With dew points in the upper 60's and lower 70's, muggy conditions will be present tomorrow, this weekend, and next week. This will make the primary "forcer" orographic lift. This means moist air is forced vertically due to the higher elevations acting as a buffer. This is where we see afternoon pop up showers/ thunderstorms that are short-lived during the summer months. Anticipate this to be the case over the next week or so. With that said, shower activity will be very limited over the next several days. The bulk of any pop up showers/storms will be in the higher elevations, eventually rolling into parts of the valley.

The main threat we'll be eyeing ahead isn't the rainfall, but instead, the temperatures. A look on Independence Day shows heat indices nearing the triple digits for some across the region. This will only continue into Sunday and next week as the "Death Ridge" plays its part. 

Be sure to stay well hydrated this weekend, wear lots of sunscreen, and find plenty of shade if you plan to be outdoors for extended periods of time. A look into the middle and later part of July can be found in the latest video forecast below (Hint: it remains HOT).