Low 70s Dew

Monday, August 31, 2026 · 7:11 PM

Cover art for Low 70s Dew

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Updated at seven zero nine P.M. Central Daylight Time Monday August thirty-first twenty twenty-six.
Hot with highs in the mid to upper nineties west of the Plateau this week.
Major to extreme heat risk is expected by the middle of the week with heat index values in the triple digits. Wednesday and Thursday should be the most impactful days of the week.
Very low rain chances through midweek.

You thought September brought the shade
You thought the summer light would fade
Incorrect, the altar bleeds
The upper level ridge succeeds
It exerts its power over all
No rain will fall, no night will call
West of the Plateau ninety-five to ninety-eight
We seal our fate!

Convective temperatures are met today
The cumulus clouds will burn away!
The ridge intensifies its hold
The dreadful prophecy foretold!

The tyrant ridge will not break down
A suffocating golden crown
The prophecy is coming true
With low seventies dew!
With low seventies dew!

B-N-A approaches ninety-nine
Close to the record on the line
The convection allowing models show
Only tiny showers where the Plateau winds blow
A tiny chance, a fleeting spark
Before the sun turns middle Tennessee dark!

The tyrant ridge will not break down
A suffocating golden crown
The prophecy is coming true
With low seventies dew!
With low seventies dew!

Wednesday and Thursday!
The most impactful days!
Wednesday and Thursday!
The ridge shall blaze!
Low seventies dew!
Low seventies dew!

The forecast discussion

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 709 PM CDT Mon Aug 31 2026

- Hot with highs in the mid to upper 90s west of the Plateau this week.

- Major to extreme heat risk is expected by the middle of the week with heat index values in the triple digits.

Wednesday and Thursday should be the most impactful days of the week.

- Very low rain chances through midweek.

SHORT TERM

(Rest of today through Thursday Night) Issued at 1049 AM CDT Mon Aug 31 2026

Y'all thought that just because September arrives tomorrow that summer was over, didn't you?

Incorrect.

For all of you summer-lovers out there, the treat of heat and humidity looks to continue for at least the next 6 days.

The culprit in this late-summer heat push is an upper level ridge that has exerted itself over the eastern half of the U.S. The problem is, that ridge is expected to intensify over the next few days and with dew points in the low 70s, major to extreme heat risk problems are expected to arise for a good chunk of Middle TN. After discussions with surrounding offices, while it will be warm and humid tomorrow, we're going to focus on Wednesday and Thursday as being the hottest days of the week.

For now, we'll hold off on any headlines until at least the next forecast package for consistent messaging.

As a side note, I don't think any temperature records are in serious jeopardy at BNA, but Wednesday could be close (99 set in 2011).

Of course, with the ridge in place, rain and storms chances will be close to nil, but I am going to include a tiny, very low chance for a shower or storm on the Plateau this afternoon.

Convective temperatures have been met and cu fields are already pretty healthy over the Plateau.

CAMs do show a little development, so I don't want to have no PoPs over there.

LONG TERM

(Friday through next Monday) Issued at 1049 AM CDT Mon Aug 31 2026

Medium range guidance is suggesting the ridge will start to break down towards the end of the week.

This is being shown in the temperature guidance starting Friday.

Yes, it'll still be hot and humid, but the heat risk should be slightly less.

As we move into the weekend and Labor Day, we continue to see temperatures back off a bit as the ridge slips off to the west.

Slightly above normal afternoon highs will probably still be with us, but not as intense as the middle of this week.

The stinker is, if we start to lose the ridge this weekend, that means low to medium storm chances will likely start to creep back into the forecast.

Nothing organized, but diurnal, summer-time thunderstorms with at least a low wind risk would re-enter the forecast.