Weekend severe weather risk

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - This first weekend of July will feature your typical hot and muggy conditions. There will be a scattered strong to severe thunderstorm threat in the afternoon and evening hours.

Tracking weather disturbances riding along the outer edge of a heat wave over the south-central U.S. This will cause clusters of showers, downpours and thunderstorms to form and move southeast today and Sunday. The primary threat with thunderstorms this weekend will be damaging winds gusts. Along with some hail, frequent lightning and heavy rainfall. The overall tornado threat is near zero.

The more sunshine we see, the greater the risk for a severe thunderstorm to form. Extra clouds would keep the atmosphere a little more stable.

Keep checking back here and to the NBC29 Storm Team Weather app for interactive Doppler radar updates and severe weather alerts.

Improving air quality this weekend as the winds will be from the southwest and rain will help wash any lingering smoke out of the atmosphere.

There’s a smaller risk for a shower and thunderstorm Monday and the Fourth of July, Tuesday.

A heat wave builds across central Virginia into next week. Highs temperatures in the lower 90s.

Thunderstorm chances look to increase again later next week.

Saturday: Partly sunny, hazy, a tropical feel with a mainly afternoon and evening shower, downpour and thunderstorm forming. The best time frame is from 2 to 7 PM northwest to southeast across the region. Highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s.

Saturday overnight: Evening storms fade away. Patchy fog wit lows in the muggy low to mid 70s.

Sunday: Partly sunny, hazy, hot and humid. Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms forming in the afternoon and may linger into the overnight hours. Lows low mid 70s.

Monday: Partly sunny, hot and humid with an isolated shower and thunderstorm. Highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Lows near 70 degrees.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, hot and humid with only an isolated thunderstorm chance into the evening. Highs upper 80s to lower 90s.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, hazy, hot and humid with only an isolated thunderstorm risk. Highs lower 90s. Lows lower 70s.

Thursday and Friday: Partly sunny, muggy and hazy with a scattered shower and thunderstorm chance. Highs near 90 degrees. Lows near 70 degrees.

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