Heat is on its way back to Chattanooga area

photo Nathan Colquitt Jr. walks past the Hamilton County Jail on East Sixth Street while on his way home from purchasing groceries Monday.

Chattanooga's so far "cool" summer will heat up this week.

Forecasters predict six consecutive days of temperatures in the 90s starting Wednesday.

"It's going to be awfully hot and humid," said Paul Barys, WRCB-TV3 chief meteorologist.

Today's high will hit 89 degrees, according to the WRCB-TV3 forecast. Then temperatures in the mid-90s are forecast Wednesday through Sunday.

The hot weather may also include stray storms.

The anticipated warmer weather comes after the city has had below-normal temperature averages for nearly the past two months.

So far August is 2 degrees below the average temperature of 78 degrees and July was 2.5 degrees below its average temperature of 80 degrees. However, June was warm at 78.1, 1.6 degrees above normal. There have been 29 days in the 90s this year so far in the Chattanooga area.

Temperatures on July 30 dropped to a near record-breaking low of 58 degrees. It hasn't been that cold on July 30 since 1969, said Jerry Hevrdeys, National Weather Service meteorologist in Morristown, Tenn.

Chattanooga is about 7 inches below normal for rainfall, but it is nowhere near a drought, said Andrew Pritchett, meteorologist.

Heavy rainfall drenched much of the Chattanooga area on Monday. No weather advisories or warnings were issued, nor was any flooding reported at press time, said Pritchett. Chattanooga recorded 1.02 inches of rain Monday.

Coupled with 90-degree temperatures, forecasters anticipate the heat index to top 100 with humidity around 45 percent on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, according to Barys.

The Chattanooga Community Kitchen is distributing bottled water and providing shelter for more than 400 people a day to protect people from the heat.

People face heat stroke," said Jens Christensen, Community Kitchen director. "We're offering shelter from the weather during the hottest time in the day."

Watch your animals, said Jeremiah Moore, who cares for nearly 20 horses at the Eagles Rest Ranch in Flintstone, Ga.

Do any riding early in the morning or late in the evening. Make sure they have water throughout the day, he said.

Keep pets out of the sun and watered down and check on elderly relatives and friends, said Barys.

Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 757-6431.

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