We Are Turning Up The Heat
Sunday, August 9, 2026 · 6:10 PM
Lyrics
Heat Risk will climb to Major level this week. Heat Advisories may be issued west of the Plateau. Low to medium chance of showers and storms each afternoon and early evening. Lowest chances will be in the northwest with highest chances along the Cumberland Plateau. Heavy downpours with local flash flooding will be the main concern. A few of the stronger storms each day may produce wind gusts of forty to fifty miles per hour and frequent lightning. This could bring down a few limbs and cause scattered power outages. Widespread severe storms are not expected at this time. Dew points sit in the lower seventies. Precipitable water values remain well above average. The shower activity dies off quickly with sunset. Leaving conditions favorable for overnight fog. Clarksville stays dry tonight. The Cumberland Plateau holds the moisture. Some people got little or no rain. Some had much too much. We start to turn up the heat tomorrow. Under a building southern ridge. Heat index values borderline criteria. We hold off on issuing a Heat Advisory for now. Because we have had so many heat headlines this summer. But a big concern is dangerous heat building through the week! Perhaps even more than our current forecast indicates! If we end up issuing headlines tomorrow or Tuesday... THEY MAY NEED TO EXTEND THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND! MAJOR LEVEL THREE OUT OF FOUR! THE SOUTHERN RIDGE PUMPS UP STRONGER! ACTUAL TEMPERATURES TOWARD ONE HUNDRED DEGREES! TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS! WE CANNOT HOLD OFF THE HEADLINES FOREVER! LOWER SEVENTIES DEW POINTS! WELL ABOVE AVERAGE PRECIPITABLE WATER! LOCAL FLASH FLOODING IN THE DOWNPOURS! ONE HUNDRED DEGREES AT THE PEAK OF AUGUST! LEVEL THREE OUT OF FOUR! LEVEL THREE OUT OF FOUR! Heat danger through next weekend. See heat dot gov for more information. We are turning up the heat.
The forecast discussion
KEY MESSAGES
Updated at 602 PM CDT Sun Aug 9 2026
- Heat Risk will climb to Major level (3 out of 4) this week.
Heat Advisories may be issued west of the Plateau.
- Low to medium (10 to 50 percent) chance of showers and storms each afternoon and early evening.
Lowest chances will be in the northwest (Clarksville area) with highest chances along the Cumberland Plateau.
Heavy downpours with local flash flooding will be the main concern.
- A few of the stronger storms each day may produce wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph and frequent lightning.
This could bring down a few limbs and cause scattered power outages.
Widespread severe storms are not expected at this time.
SHORT TERM
(Rest of today through Monday) Issued at 1207 PM CDT Sun Aug 9 2026
We saw the peak coverage of rain and storms yesterday.
As advertised, some people got little or no rain while some had much too much, resulting in local flash flooding.
Although coverage will trend down today and Monday, the threat for local flooding will continue as dew points remain mostly in the lower 70s and precipitable water values remain well above average.
Scattered shower and storm activity will be focused mainly over our southern and Plateau areas today where pops will be in the 30 to 50 percent range.
Our northwest counties will have the lowest chances, but not zero.
Like the past several days, the activity will die off quickly with sunset leaving conditions favorable for overnight fog.
Coverage of rain will be a little lower Monday as we start to turn up the heat under a building southern ridge.
Heat index values will be borderline criteria for issuance of a Heat Advisory.
Since we are now in August and have had so many heat headlines this summer, we will hold off on that issuance for now.
A big concern is the potential for dangerous heat to build through the week, perhaps even more than our current forecast indicates.
If we end up issuing heat headlines tomorrow or more likely Tuesday, they may need to extend through next weekend.
LONG TERM
(Monday Night through next Sunday) Issued at 1100 AM CDT Sun Aug 9 2026
A strong southern ridge will bring hot and humid conditions through the week.
Shower and storm chances will be at their lowest Tuesday, mostly less than 30 percent.
But, even with low pops, any storms could be impactful with torrential rainfall and gusty winds.
The ridge may weaken slightly with increased storm coverage Wednesday and Thursday, but just how much the ridge weakens is uncertain.
Unfortunately, it looks like the ridge will pump up even stronger next weekend, perhaps sending actual temps toward 100 degrees in some areas.
Although it looks like we can hold off on heat headlines for Monday, we will almost certainly need to highlight the heat danger at some point through the coming week into next weekend.
Most days will reach level 3 out of 4 which is called "Major".
See heat.gov for more information.