Tracking dangerous heat all week, limited rain chances until late weekend

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy and muggy with lows in the mid-70s. Breezy with south winds up to 15-20 mph.

TOMORROW: Hot and humid, mostly sunny with highs in the lower 90s. Heat index values between 103-105.

EXTENDED: I'm tracking intense heat that will last all week, with the Weather Alert Day being extended through Friday night. The upper ridge responsible for the dome of heat over this part of the country is very stubborn to shift, but we'll see a stronger impulse sliding along the jet stream that will finally break the pattern down by the end of the weekend. Tomorrow through Saturday will feature highs in the low to mid-90s with dew points in the 70s, putting heat indices in the 103-106 range each day. The ridge tries to retrograde back west, putting us in line for a few pop up afternoon storms between Friday and Saturday, but the heat remains for the holiday with a July 4 heat index up to 100-104. Rain chances increase as the aforementioned impulse drives a cold front through the region late Sunday into Monday. Rain amounts likely stay under 1/4". A big cool down isn't expected, but temperatures will drop into the upper 80s for highs next week.