A large ridge in the western US has allowed soaring heat in the Pacific NW and northern Plains over the last few weeks. On the flip side, a general trough has allowed cooler than average temps and abundant clouds and rain across a good portion of the eastern US.

That includes us here locally with temps running 3.4 degrees below average on the month. We’ve had 5 nights with lows in the 50s and we have yet to hit 90 degrees this month!

Pictured below is the month-to-date temperature map compared to average. Red and orange is above average whereas blue and green shaded locations are below average temps so far in July:

Miss the hot, summer weather? You won’t have to wait long as that ridge off to our west will continue to build in and flirt with the Region. We’ll likely see highs in the mid and upper 80s over a good portion of the extended with periodic thunderstorm chances.