Having just returned for vacation in Canada where the air was nice and cool, I am not thrilled some heat and humidity is coming this week. Nevertheless, for those for whom the lack of heat this summer has been a disappointment, your turn is coming.

Heat and humidity enter New England when high pressure to the south sits in such a position it pumps the hot air and the humid air north. A colder than average pool of ocean water over the north Atlantic has likely helped suppress the formation of this pressure system and thus limit the amount of heat here in New England.

This week the Bermuda high pressure system is going to pump warm and increasingly humid air northward. There’s little doubt many areas are going to reach the 80s starting Tuesday and this type of heat will likely last through much of the work week.

The map below shows the location of the high pressure area. The high, while present, isn’t as established as is typical for late July.
There will be a few places where you can escape hottest readings. East of Brunswick, much of the coast will stay in the 70s and lower 80s most of the week and the higher elevations will also be less than 80 degrees.

The hottest readings will be over inland areas. Check out the two graphs below. The first is for Fryeburg, the second for Portland. Notice temperatures are 10 degrees warmer inland than along the coast.

In addition to the heat we have plenty of humidity coming back. Dew Points which measure the amount of moisture in the air will remain in the 60s to near 70 throughout the week. The peak of the humidity will be with us from Tuesday evening through Thursday night. On Friday the air will dry out somewhat, but not to refreshing levels.

Cooler August
I don’t see a general long term break in the heat for a while. We may return near 90 degree weather for the first day or two of August.
As I look into August although the month starts above average, there are signs cooler air will return and we should see drier, more comfortable air coming back into the area from Canada.

I have put showers in the forecast today through Tuesday. While showers are mentioned, not all of you will see them. Over the three day period, some areas might remain entirely dry. Vegetables and other plants which need consistent water might need your help with moisture this week.

Quiet Tropics
July isn’t usually a very active month in the tropics, but it’s worth a look to see. The increasingly strong El Nino is likely helping to keep stronger upper level winds blowing across the Atlantic Basin and limiting the chances of tropical development.

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