CLEVELAND — The heat and humidity peak today. It will feel like true Florida weather this afternoon with ridiculous amounts of humidity.
Dew points measure the amount of moisture in the air. We call it "ridiculous" when dew points approach or exceed 70 degrees. Dew points will be in the 70s again on Thursday. That means our bodies will have to work even harder to cool off. That's why the dew point and humidity are so important. Our bodies sweat to cool off, but the sweat itself doesn't cool us; it's the evaporation of sweat from our skin that cools us. That process is slowed when it's humid. This is why "the heat index" or "feels like temperatures" becomes a factor in the summer months; your body has to work even harder to cool itself when it's this humid.
Feels like temperatures will be 95+ for most of the News 5 viewing area, which is why the Heat Advisory is more expansive today.
Meanwhile, the heat and humidity have also been fueling on-and-off thunderstorms. Wednesday evening was jam-packed with damaging storms, torrential rain, flooding, and THOUSANDS of lightning strikes. Additional downpours are possible between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with a mostly dry, hot, and humid afternoon.
Relief is just around the corner. Our next cold front is on Friday. That will bring another shot for rain Thursday night and early Friday. The timing is best-case scenario for us, as the energy for storms will be lowest just before sunrise Friday as the front crosses. The cold front will also sweep this intense humidity out of here, and it will cool things down to wrap up the work week into next weekend.
DAILY FORECAST:
Thursday: More heat, more humidity, more storms.| High: 90º (Feels like 95+)
Friday: Scattered storms.| High: 80º
Saturday: More seasonable, less humid.| High: 85º
Sunday: A few storms possible.| High: 75º
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