Welcome to Summer 2019! As of Friday afternoon, summer is officially here. Will Mother Nature get the memo, though? Or will we continue to see below normal temperatures as we round out June?
Expected dew points over the next six days are humid to downright muggy.
Well, nearly 100% of our forecast models point toward hotter temperatures, higher humidity and the introduction of the heat index beginning this weekend. Believe it or not, South Bend has only reached 80° a total of six times in 2019 as of June 21st. And we haven't even threatened 90° yet. In fact, the hottest temperature recorded this year came in May when we had a rogue day at 85°. Will we see 90° in the coming days? We could get rather close, but 80s and higher humidity values are pretty much a lock.
Potential high temperatures over the next six days.
Dew points will be well into the 60s and even the 70s at times beginning Saturday evening. Dew points that high will create a very humid to even muggy or tropical feel to the air. Not only will the dew points be higher than they have all year, but the temperatures will be at or above 80° each day beginning Sunday. We could see middle or even upper 80s by late next week.
Potential heat index temperatures next week.
When you factor in temperatures in the 80s with high levels of humidity, you get what's called the heat index. This temperature is essentially what it "feels like" to you when you step outside. While we aren't expecting triple digit heat indexes, it will feel like it's well into the 80s and lower 90s.
With these higher temperatures, it's also important to remember just how hot the inside of your vehicle can get. Let's take 80° as an example. If the temperature is 80° and there's at least some sunshine, the inside of a vehicle will heat up to 99° in just ten minutes. That number jumps to a whopping 114° in as little as 30 minutes! This kind of heat can be dangerous and even deadly to both pets and people. Always check the back seat before leaving your vehicle, and never leave a person or pet inside unattended.
It's also important to remember how hot the ground can be when it's warm and sunny. If the temperature is 86°, the asphalt can heat up to 135°! That is more than hot enough to harm -- perhaps severely -- your pets' feet. While not quite as hot as asphalt, concrete, sand, grass, and gravel can also heat up to potentially dangerous levels quickly with temperatures in the 80s.
