It’s time to crank up the A/C as record-breaking heat runs rampant

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - It was like stepping into a furnace this afternoon as record-breaking heat took over the area with daily highs soaring to heights not seen in almost 100 years in some spots.

From a simmer yesterday to a boil this afternoon as high temperatures broke the century mark in many spots. It wasn’t just the temperatures that were high but also the dew points. This made for feel-like temperatures as high as 115 degree in areas east of the Tri-Cities. A cold front will push just to our south overnight and stall near the Nebraska-Kansas state line. This will knock highs down slightly giving us a slightly “cooler” day but still hot nonetheless.

Tonight through early tomorrow morning, there is a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms in Western Nebraska. They will move northeast and may clip our North Central Nebraska counties after midnight. You will be fortunate to receive any rain as most of us will be remaining dry well into next week. It’ll be a bit cooler up north tomorrow thanks to the aforementioned cold front, but remain very hot in the south. Highs will range from mid 80s up north to the low 100s in the south.

The sweltering heat will be sticking around through a good part of next week. Monday may be the hottest day we see during this heat wave. Highs will mostly be in the 100s. Expect more of the same Tuesday and Wednesday. Lows will mostly be in the 70s. Thursday is the first sign of cooler air as it slowly begins to push southward with an approaching cold front. Highs look to still range from the lower 90s northwest to the lower 100s south and southeast. Along with the cooler temperatures going into the end of the week, rain and thunderstorm chances return to the forecast. By next weekend, highs will be back down into the 80s.

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