"Some like it hot..."

- Robert Palmer in the 1985 single by his band Power Station

7:00 PM EDT TUE 4.7  While some are welcoming this summer preview, many others may not be so thrilled with Robert Palmer's idea of "turning up the heat 'til we fry." Afternoon temperatures in the mid to upper 80's across dominated much of the Eastern U.S., with some locations tying or exceeding record highs of 85-90 or above for today's date. The last time it was officially this warm so early in April at Dulles Airport was April 7, 1991 (84 F) whereas today, Mother Nature did 5 degrees better, reaching 89 F by 2:00 PM EDT.

Regarding severe weather risks, the chances increase by Thursday across GA, AL and TN as well as the Mid-Atlantic region into Friday morning. The warm moist flow ahead of a somewhat stalled front in the Midwest will continue to raise humidity and heat index levels until it moves through by Friday. Outdoor sports fans and athletes alike should keep a watchful eye to our Severe Storm Center for an early word on where the next outbreaks may pop.

With thunderstorm and tornado activity building across the nation, the Forecast Team is seeking citizen forecasters or university meteorology students interesting in collaborating on Severe Storm Center updates. Review our application procedures, submit a letter of intent to team@footsforecast.org and you can become a "face with the place" of Team Foot's Forecast.