The month of June hasn't exactly been hot across Michiana. The warmest day in South Bend came on the 7th when it reached 85°. In fact, South Bend has only eclipsed 80° twice so far in June. That all changes big-time for Father's Day weekend and early next week as a large dome of heat sets up across the central and eastern United States. That includes both Indiana and Michigan. A strong area of high pressure will slide to our east, allowing southerly flow to pump heat and ample humidity into locations east of the Rockies. It will also help keep the region mainly sunny and dry, which will allow highs to soar into the upper 80s and 90s for three straight days.
The worst of the heat will come on Sunday and Monday when heat indices are expected to exceed the century mark. Some could see heat indices reach 105°! It will be hot Saturday as well, but heat indices should stay in the 90s. And, depending on how things develop next week, Tuesday could wind up being hot and humid. This kind of heat is dangerous and can lead to health issues if proper precautions are not taken. That includes both heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can develop quickly in hot and humid conditions. It's the kind of heat that only occurs a couple of times each year in Michiana. Therefore, it will be very important to stay hydrated, avoid prolonged outdoor exposure, seek shelter when possible, and check on children and the elderly.
But is it going to be a legitimate heatwave? Will any sort of advisory or warning be issued? By definition, a heatwave is a stretch of at least two days of unusually hot and humid weather. Those conditions will almost certainly be met with high temperatures nearly 10° above average and dew points in the tropical category for what will likely be three consecutive days. Regarding an advisory or warning, the National Weather Service has said conditions that warrant a Heat Advisory could very well be met by Sunday and Monday. The last time Michiana was under a Heat Advisory or Excessive Heat Warning was back on July 24, 2016! That's a whopping 689 days!
