Longer heat wave coming; late storm chances continue

Our cooler airmass and area of high pressure moves off to the east today, bringing southerly winds back. We start to really heat up again.

A longer heat wave looms for next week.

The next three days have a severe risk highlighting much of Nebraska. For Friday, many areas are within a Marginal (Level 1 of 5) risk for isolated severe storms possible, while a Slight (Level 2 of 5) risk includes northeast Nebraska for a bit more coverage to potential scattered storms up that way Friday evening and overnight.

With Friday’s severe risk, isolated tornadoes will be possible with storms diving southeast out of South Dakota. The better chance is between O’Neill and Sioux City, then up to the northeast from there into neighboring states.

Some large hail will be possible with that same area of storms.

And damaging wind will be a primary threat with these storms late Friday night in northeast Nebraska.

Here’s the latest timing and potential placement of storms throughout Friday and Friday night. A few storms look to travel east from western Nebraska, meeting up with storms already diving southeast out of South Dakota.

Storms look to strengthen from there just after midnight, before weakening as they move south and east and maybe clip some areas of Nebraska along the Missouri River toward Omaha.

Lincoln doesn’t have a great chance of seeing much from Friday night into Saturday, but there will be another shot at storms later on Saturday. Temperatures each day into the weekend will be around 90° with more humidity.

While there are storm chances throughout the weekend, no event looks widespread. Many will likely be dry and hot through Sunday and into next week.

A Marginal (Level 1 of 5) risk for severe weather is in place again both Saturday and Sunday for almost all of Nebraska. Main threats with any stronger storms will be hail and gusty winds.

Saturday night may be southeast Nebraska’s better chance at actually seeing some storms come through. Stronger ones after sunset, again, may threaten some hail and damaging wind.

Then we get hot. The Climate Prediction Center has days 6-10 next week (Wednesday through Sunday) with high chances of above average temperatures.

The extended forecast looking ahead to next week includes many days around the middle and upper 90s.

Factoring in the humidity, a prolonged period of heat and humidity could mean multiple days with a 100°+ heat index.

Meteorologist Jessica Blum 
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