TONIGHT: Scattered of Showers After Midnight, Chance of Thunder. Lo 69.

WEDNESDAY: AM Clouds, PM Sun. Hi 81.

THURSDAY: Mostly Sunny. Hi 78.

This new week will start a bit unsettled as many Midstate students head back to school. Expect humidity and a fair amount of cloud cover with occasional showers through early Wednesday. It won’t be a lot of rain, but the region can still use it. We also have two tropical systems that are churning nearby, neither is expected to hit our region though.

Today brought a lot of cloud cover and at times mist and drizzle. Peeks of sun were around too which did bring temperatures close to 80°. A slightly better chance of rain will develop after midnight tonight. Some brief heavy rain is possible and even some thunder overnight too. Clouds could be stubborn to clear, but Wednesday evening should turn nicer as lower humidity and a more refreshing feel will drift in behind this area of low pressure. The end of the week looks spectacular with lots of sunshine and low humidity just in time for September to kick off. Dry weather and sunshine should hold through Labor Day weekend!

Hurricane Franklin continues to sit in the Atlantic and isn’t expected to impact the U.S. coast at all (other than rough seas and some rip currents). That storm will stay east and continue its way into the North Atlantic later this week. Idalia will make a turn toward the northwest coast of Florida by early Wednesday after gaining strength in the warm Gulf waters. Idalia could be a major hurricane upon landfall early Wednesday. The storm is then expected to veer eastward and off the Carolina coast by Thursday evening. It will not impact our area, but we will continue to monitor its path.

One other item to note in the forecast: it looks hot starting on Labor Day onward. Next Monday could bring the start of a prolonged heat wave for the region in early September. Several days of 90-degree heat are possible with higher humidity too. Summer could make one last stand as we enter the new month. Stay tuned!

-Meteorologist Dan Tomaso