Hot and mostly dry through the weekend, changes coming next week

Meteorologist Sam Lucey has a look at the week ahead

Summer heat will continue across South Mississippi through the weekend with plenty of sunshine and afternoon temperatures climbing into the lower 90s. Overnight lows will remain warm and muggy, only falling into the mid to upper 70s.

While actual temperatures will top out around the upper 80s and low 90s, the combination of heat and humidity will make it feel even warmer during the afternoon hours. Heat index values should soar into the triple digits as temperatures climb through the day.

A few isolated showers and thunderstorms may develop Friday through Sunday afternoon, but most locations will remain dry for much of the day. However, rain chances increase Sunday night as a more unsettled weather pattern begins to take shape.

By Monday, scattered showers and thunderstorms become more widespread with daily opportunities for rain and storms continuing through much of next week, helping to knock afternoon temperatures back into the mid 80s.

While not everyone will see rain every day, periods of heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected from Monday through Wednesday, with additional chances lingering into Thursday. Rain totals during this time could top 4-6″ area-wide with isolated higher amounts in areas that see repetitive thunderstorms.