It’s no secret that the Eastern US has been, well, rather wet over the past week.

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From Fred and the flooding in Western North Carolina, to Henri and the flooding in the Northeast, to the horrific flash flooding in western Tennessee, what we really need is a few days to dry out. And get them we shall.

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As what remains of Henri escapes into the northern Atlantic, ridging will dominate a large portion of the United States. Unfortunately, it looks to stick around, at least until the weekend, with the heat largely peaking tomorrow.

In addition to widespread above average temperatures, we have the humidity to contend with. Dew points in the mid to upper 70s, or even creeping into the 80s – especially where enhanced by “corn sweat” – will nudge the apparent temperature into the triple digits. Heat advisories have been issues for a large part of the central US along with excessive heat warnings for the AR/LA/MS tri-state region.

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The air-you-can-wear is back in full force. Be sure to take precautions if you plan to/must be out in the heat. Drink lots of water, take frequent breaks, and try to avoid peak heating hours. This heat will likely remain with us for a few days at least.

With the lack of any significant forcing in the forecast for the region courtesy of the “heat dome,” any precip will be generally limited to air mass thunderstorms. Hot, moist rising air will allow for the formation of scattered storms each day, typically in the afternoon. Where the moisture content is greater (near the coasts or where it is enhanced by corn sweat in the Midwest), these storms could have the potential for localized flash flooding, especially if they occur over recently oversaturated areas. Just something to be aware of if you’re out driving during the next few days.

If you’re a heat lover and excited over continued roasting – enjoy sweating, I guess.

If you’re like me and monitoring the mid-range forecasts for a sign of the first real fall cold front, go get another pumpkin spice latte and keep the faith – we’re almost there.