Heat Advisory This Afternoon, Scattered Storms Late Today into Tomorrow, Beryl Explodes to a Category 4 Hurricane

Sky high humidity and high temperatures in the 90s is making for a very hot afternoon today. The heat index will top out at 104 to 108 degrees across Dillon, Marion and Marlboro counties. Very late today into tomorrow we will finally see a good chance of rain as scattered showers and thunderstorms accompany a cold front moving into the Carolinas. Some storms could have very heavy downpours, gusty winds and frequent lightning. Lows tonight 72 to 75. Highs tomorrow will stay in the 80s! A welcome break from the recent high heat. Tuesday and Wednesday will be sunny and warm, then the heat will crank back up for the 4th of July and Friday.

In the tropics, Hurricane Beryl has exploded into a powerful category 4 hurricane. It has rapidly intensified with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph as of the 2pm advisory. The hurricane will track through the Windward Islands late tonight and tomorrow morning and into the Caribbean Sea as at least a category 4 hurricane. The satellite loop centered on the storm shows how powerful it has become with the classic look of a category 4+ hurricane with a very sharp and distinct eye and symmetrical cold cloud tops surrounding the eye. Those cloud tops are with intense storms with incredibly heavy rains. The NHC forecast track has Beryl tracking across the Caribbean Sea this week from east to west, passing near Jamaica, then to the Yucatan peninsula by Friday. The intensity should level off and probably weaken some during the week as wind shear over the hurricane increases a little.