If you stepped outside this morning, you were smacked again by a wall of humidity no matter where you were in New England.
Boston and the rest of the region continue to experience peak summer temperatures in the 90s amid exceptionally muggy conditions, making it feel more like “New Florida” here. And the stifling weather isn’t expected to let up anytime soon.
I noticed a few references to a “heat dome” as the culprit for our renewed summer heat.
But not quite. Actually, the source of these sizzling temperatures and stifling humidity is not a heat dome — those are much more massive, widespread weather patterns that basically block out any weather progression and can remain stagnant for a week or more.
What we’re experiencing is the combination of a small sliver of high pressure, otherwise known as “ridging,” in which the jet stream bows north of New England and hotter air flows in from the south. I dig more into this ridging below:
New England is also under the influence of a strengthening Bermuda High, a strong semi-permanent pocket of high pressure that drifts over the Northern Atlantic. It’s currently close to the East Coast and is amplifying the southwest flow of tropical moisture into New England from the Gulf States.
Hot is hot and sticky is sticky, no matter which way you cut it. This high heat and humidity is forecast to last through Sunday before this stretch breaks.
There’s also the chance for peak heating to spark afternoon and evening thunderstorms as the atmosphere turns unstable. Any storms would be scattered and occur mostly west of Boston, though a shower or two could stick together enough to reach the region.
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Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.