Hazy and hot weather Tuesday

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The hazy and hot weather continues today with the Saharan dust expected to thicken bringing poor air quality in the upcoming days.

Hot, but no heat advisory today: Temperatures will start in the mid to upper 70s this morning and wind up in the mid to upper 90s this afternoon. Our heat index, or ‘feels like’ temperatures will be between 100 and 104 degrees when you factor in the humidity. 105 degrees is the threshold to trigger a heat advisory. We probably won’t feel much change from yesterday. so try to limit your time outside this afternoon and get your outdoor activities done early in the morning.

In addition to the heat, it will be breezy with a south wind of 10 to 15 miles per hour, and occasional gusts up to 20 or 25 miles per hour.

Saharan dust to thicken today: Although skies will be mostly sunny, the air will be filled with thick Saharan dust today as it is forecast to worsen this afternoon. This dust may be the reason you have allergy-type symptoms like a runny nose or scratchy throat. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality action day. If you are in a sensitive group that suffers from asthma the combination of heat and dust will lead to poor air quality today. It is urged you limit your time outside, reduce emissions by not fueling your car until after 6 p.m., and forego the use of gas-powered lawn equipment.

The Saharan dust will be thick through at least Friday, but we may see it decrease by the weekend.

Heat to continue through the weekend with a slight chance of late-week rain: We will likely teeter with heat advisories for the remainder of the week as highs will remain in the mid to upper 90s. We may see a few more clouds Wednesday and Thursday and only a slight chance of rain returning Friday and Saturday. This won’t be the widespread heat we need to break the heat, but if we can stir up some rain it may help to improve our air quality in some areas.

A weak front will pass through during the weekend, it won’t bring cooler air, but it may drop our humidity early next week. Unfortunately, air temperatures will remain in the mid to upper 90s through much of next week as well.