CLEVELAND — What's the dew got to do with it? 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 in the mid- to upper-90s again on Thursday.
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 early Thursday 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 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: 88º
Friday: Scattered storms.| High: 79º
Saturday: More seasonable, less humid.| High: 80º
Sunday: A few storms possible.| High: 79º
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