Wednesday starts warm and sticky with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 70s. It already feels closer to 84 early this morning, but the wind stays light out of the ESE at around 2 mph.
By afternoon, the heat takes over. Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 99, with a southwest wind around 8 mph and gusts up to 15 mph. Rain chances stay low at 25 percent, but the bigger story is the heat. It may feel as hot as 104 during the hottest part of the day, so this is a good day to take breaks and keep the water bottle nearby.
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Wednesday evening stays clear and warm as temperatures ease back through the 80s after sunset. The breeze turns lighter from the south to southwest, and the air will still feel muggy.
Overnight, the sky stays clear with a low around 74. Humidity hangs on, so it will still feel a bit warmer than the thermometer suggests late tonight.
A Heat Advisory remains in effect until 8 p.m. Saturday. Heat index values could reach 109. An Air Quality Alert is also in effect from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday for the St. Louis metro area, with ozone levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The allergy index is driven mainly by ragweed, which is very high today. Grass, mold and tree pollen are all low.
Thursday looks much the same, with a high near 99 and a low around 74 under mostly sunny skies. It stays very hot and humid, with only a small chance of rain.
Get the latest updates on weather conditions here: RiverBender.com/weather.
