Heatwave scorches the South! Memorial Day weekend sees record-breaking triple digit temperatures
- Memorial Day ushered in the fourth day of triple-degree weather in the South
- Locals were advised to stay hydrated and take frequent breaks indoors
- The heatwave baking the Southeast is expected to continue through Thursday
- Sunday saw record-breaking highs for the month of May, reaching 101 degrees in Augusta and Savannah, Georgia
- Temperatures also reached 100 degrees in South and North Carolina cities
- Record highs in Georgia and the Carolinas were reported on Saturday
- The National Weather Service released heat advisories for parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia, and South Carolina for the holiday weekend
A scorching heatwave is gripping the Deep South with several cities reporting the hottest temperatures ever recorded in May.
High temperatures were at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) Sunday in Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina; Fayetteville and Wilmington in North Carolina; Savannah and Macon in Georgia; and Gainesville, Florida.
The Columbia's National Weather Service tweeted out that Monday's highs were expected to be 100 degrees and that the daily record for both Columbia and Augusta, South Carolina, is 99 degrees.
They advised locals to 'drink plenty of water' while celebrating Memorial Day.
Scorching temperatures were predicted for Monday's Memorial Day celebrations as a fierce heat wave grips the Deep South with weather reaching triple digits in some areas
South Carolina's National Weather Service tweeted out an angry-looking map representing multiple areas that would see temperatures reaching 100 degrees Monday
The Deep South had seen record-setting temperatures all weekend long
NWS Wilmington, North Carolina, tweeted Monday highs would be in the upper 90s to near 100. Despite the high heat, the organization noted that since no rain was expected, 'Humidity will remain relatively comfortable, but please take precautions if outdoors.'
NWS Tallahassee — which covers North Florida, Southeast Alabama and Southwest Georgia — also tweeted about weather in the area reaching near 100 degrees in the inland areas, while predicting heat indices 'in the 101-105 degree range.' Likewise, they urged people to stay hydrated and to remember to cool off indoors throughout the day.
Monday afternoon, NWS Huntsville, Alabama, tweeted that at '1:37 PM: The temperature at the Muscle Shoals airport reached 97 degrees at 1:20 PM. It has tied another record high set in 2012 and will likely beat the record again today.'
Monday's high temperatures followed a record-breaking weekend.
Weather experts advised staying hydrated and taking frequent breaks indoors to beat the heat
Experts said that these high temperatures were unusual for late May, but not unheard of for the Deep South in the middle of summer, which is still weeks away
The above normal temperatures are expected to continue through the middle of the week
Share this article
Savannah's high of 102 degrees (38.9 Celsius) was a record for all of May and hotter than any day so far this year in Phoenix, Arizona, as the same weather pattern bringing the unprecedented heat to the Southeast also has the desert southwest in the U.S. unusually cool.
The high in Death Valley, California, on Sunday was 82 degrees (27.8 Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.
Augusta, Georgia, meanwhile, tied a 141-year-old record when the temperature reached 98 degrees on Friday, while Saturday's scorching 100 degree weather in Savannah tied a record dating back to 1953, before going on set a new record when temperatures hit 102 degrees, according to AccuWeather.com.
Also setting new records were Charleston, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, when they recorded 100 degree heat for the first time ever in May on Sunday.
While unusual for late May, this kind of heat isn't unheard of for the Deep South in the middle of summer. Officials did not report a large number of people sickened by the hot weather, even over the long Memorial Day weekend.
The above normal temperatures will continue through the middle of the week, said National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Emlaw in Charleston.
But the record hot May doesn't mean the whole summer will simmer in the Southeast U.S.
A look at the various records that were either tied or broken during the weekend heat wave
The US Navy Blue Angels soared above the beach during a Memorial Day airshow Monday
The six aerobatic team Blue Angels jets were seen speeding over holiday makers heads as they performed their dare devil maneuvers along the beach in Miami Monday
A big factor will be whether the area can shake loose from the unusually dry weather pattern too, Emlaw said.
'The lack of rain is making it hotter. With the ground dry, all of the sun's energy is put into heating the atmosphere instead of some of it being used to evaporate moisture in the ground,' Emlaw said.
A few isolated portions of the region are already looking at water shortages. Pender County in southeast North Carolina declared a water shortage emergency. But most of the region is not in a drought yet.
That dry weather has made this May heat wave a little more tolerable than most dead-of-summer heat waves in the Southeast. The humidity has been a bit lower, preventing the oppressive, heat blanket that the Deep South often feels in summer.
'It doesn't feel bad as 100 might feel in July,' Emlaw said. 'If that's a plus, I guess we'll take it.'
Monday through Wednesday the temperatures in Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and north Florida are expected to sit in the mid 90s.
On Thursday the temperature will cool down a bit – hitting 92 degrees in Atlanta, Georgia 93 degrees in Charlotte, North Carolina, 96 in Norfolk, Virginia, and 88 in New Orleans.
The National Weather Service released heat advisories for parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia, and South Carolina for the holiday weekend.
Locals were warned to not leave their kids or pets in hot vehicles without air conditioning.
'Most high temperature records across the region stand in the 90s, so many cities are expected to consistently challenge records during the heat wave,' according Accuweather meteorologist Max Vido.
'Many records date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s,' he added.
Meteorologists are warning that this week's heatwave will remain in the high 90s to lower 100s, continue to challenge record highs, and will bring with it dry height that can increase the possibility of fires.
A massive brush fire dubbed the Yellow Bluff Fire broke out in Jacksonville, Florida, charring a whopping 608 acres of land on Thursday. That fire is now about 50 percent contained.
- NWS Columbia on Twitter: "Highs will be around 100° today. The daily record for both Columbia and Augusta is 99°. Drink plenty of water during your #MemorialDay activities!… https://t.co/74DsZQcXsk"
- NWS Wilmington NC on Twitter: "Another hot day today with highs in the upper 90s to near 100; no rain or thunderstorms expected. Humidity will remain relatively comfortable, but please take precautions if outdoors. Happy Memorial Day and thank y ...
- NWS Tallahassee on Twitter: "The heat continues across the region again today. Air temperatures will warm to near 100 degrees across inland areas, with heat indicies in the 101-105 degree range. Take frequent breaks indoors and stay hydrated! ...
- NWS Huntsville on Twitter: "1:37 PM: The temperature at the Muscle Shoals airport reached 97 degrees at 1:20 PM. It has tied another record high set in 2012 and will likely beat the record again today. Elsewhere, temperatures are between 88 and ...
- www.accuweather....
