The weather has been a broken record lately but the weather will be changing its tune heading into next week from the same old song to HEATWAVE. First lets get today out of the way: SLIGHT RISK of severe thunderstorms across the Great Plains yet again today. As has been the case the last several days, the tornado threat is low. The threat for high winds and hail with the high instability across the Plains is the main threat with any thunderstorms that do pop up. These storms will move tonight into tomorrow from the Great Plains into the Mississippi Valley, then work their way through the Southeast tomorrow. This activity should reach the Virginias and the Mid Atlantic sometime on Friday, weakening as it moves to the east. The break in the heat and particularly the humidity will be noticeable heading into this weekend. The Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, Southeast and most of the east coast will enjoy a nice pleasant weekend with low humidity, especially Saturday, and temps for this weekend at to just a little below normal for June. Below normal temps? After this weekend unless you are in the Pacific Northwest I have one word for you: FUGEDABOUDIT!

As a storm system heads to the east, there will be more than enough instability to kick off waves of thunderstorms from the western Great Lakes, through the Ohio, Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys this afternoon and tonight. Again, like the last several days, this is not a tornado threat. The tornado threat is not zero, but it is very low. Most of the severe reports we expect will be wind damage and hail. Since these storms have lots of instability to work with, and grow very high into the atmosphere, hail and downburst winds will be the biggest threats. Thankfully these severe items are more localized and not everyone sees them. But if you get hit, you get hit good. Heads up in this part of the nation and have multiple ways to get weather warnings from the NWS this afternoon and this evening.

Sorry for the late note. It’s just after 2 PM eastern 6/7 as of this writing. Storms will be plentiful across the Great Plains and most of the Central US this afternoon and tonight, with some areas under an ENHANCED RISK for severe weather.

Today we have two areas with a SLIGHT risk of severe thunderstorms. One is in the high plains up close to the Rockies. The other is in the central Mississippi Valley and into the Ohio Valley.

It’s still not “officially” Alex, but the center of circulation will move across central and southern Florida today with more heavy rains, gusty winds, and localized flooding. Again if you are in Florida, this is NOT a beach weekend at all. Even if it’s not stormy where you are, the rip current risk will be HIGH so best not to go into that warm water. Conditions will improve Sunday as “Alex” rolls north of the Bahamas towards Bermuda. The rip current risk will remain from Cape Hatteras southbound for Sunday, Monday and possibly into Tuesday as well.

The big story in the next few days, by far, will be the state of Florida, dealing with what should become TROPICAL STORM ALEX.

Expect the Delmarva, southern NJ, DC, and the Virginias to get hit with strong to severe storms this afternoon and tonight.

It's the official start of “hurricane season” in the Atlantic. We may have a tropical depression and/or tropical storm impacting central and southern Florida. Showers and thunderstorms, some of which could be severe, will be sprawled out over the nation from New England and Upstate NY, into the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys, and into the southern Plains, as far south as Texas. Heavy rains, frequent lightning and damaging wind gusts are possible with these storms. This front will sink south and eventually stall out late this week across the Southeast and the lower Mississippi Valley, as the upper air wind flow over the US goes almost perfectly “zonal” or west to east. No big ridges. No big troughs. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen this! It means over the northern US over the next several days, at or below normal temps (which for June should be comfortable) and at or above average temps across the southern US (which for June means hot and humid).

Lines of showers and thunderstorms are organized this evening from Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois, to Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

What gives? Why do these guys keep getting it wrong.

Anywhere east of the Mississippi today will feature tons of sun, and very warm temperatures between 85 and 95 degrees. That goes way up by the Canadian border, down to the Gulf coast, and just about anywhere in between. The levels of humidity will be increasing as well, with a gentle but noticeable southerly flow coming up out of the Gulf of Mexico. You’ll notice the difference this afternoon compared to yesterday. And tomorrow you’ll notice the difference compared to today.

The hypocrisy behind the climate change debate. Is it real... and how exactly does God play a role in all of this?