The southern U.S. is bracing for unseasonable heat and humidity through the Memorial Day weekend, making it feel more like the middle of the summer rather than just the unofficial kickoff to the season. Here is a look at how hot it will get in the coming days.
Record Challenging Heat Building Over the Southern U.S.
Record challenging temperatures are in the forecast for the southern U.S. this holiday weekend pairing with high humidity levels to deliver sweltering conditions. The heat and humidity will come on the heels of a spring that brought unrelenting rain and thunderstorms. Many communities stretching from the northeastern corner of Texas and into northern Florida and southern Alabama have recorded rainfall in the double digits. This immense moisture has sent water in streams and rivers overflowing their banks, elevating flooding risks across the region.
You can expect the temperatures to build across the south-central U.S. before moving into the Southeast throughout the long weekend. Although the South is certainly used to dealing with heat of this magnitude during the summer, it is unusual for these temperature readings to hit this early in the season. Despite the wet weather pattern as of late across the southern half of the U.S., temperatures have already been trending a bit above the historical average.
The scorcher of a weekend will be fueled by an area of high pressure that is coming together over the eastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico and across into Florida. The sinking air accompanying this system will translate to a lack of clouds. As a result, sunshine will permeate the region and send the temperatures soaring across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina.