Monday is now a First Alert Day because heat and storm chances are lining up on the same day. People in the area will face temperatures from the mid to upper 80s in the northeastern counties to the low to mid 90s in the southwest, with heat index values near or over 100 degrees by Monday afternoon.
A Heat Advisory is in effect for the western half of the area, where the heat will be most punishing. That advisory makes sense because humid air can push the feels-like temperature higher than the thermometer reading, especially when afternoon heating peaks.
The storm risk is being watched in two rounds, and that is what makes Monday stand out. An isolated storm cannot be ruled out this morning, but the primary severe threat is expected later, during the late afternoon and evening. Damaging winds are the biggest concern, with large hail and an isolated tornado as secondary threats.
Storms are expected to continue into Monday night and end by Tuesday morning, when lows fall into the upper 60s and low 70s. After that, much cooler and more pleasant air moves in Tuesday through the end of next week, with highs in the upper 70s to mid 80s and overnight lows in the mid 50s to low 60s. Some wildfire smoke could be in the skies on Tuesday, and there is also a rain chance for the end of the week.
For now, Monday is the day to watch because the heat arrives first and the stronger storms follow before the day is over. The exact local impact will depend on where storms form, but the setup points to a hot afternoon, a stormy night and a quieter Tuesday morning.
