COLUMBIA, SC — The rest of the week will bring increasing humidity and isolated to widely scattered showers and thunderstorms, especially over the weekend. A high pressure system moving into the region late this week and into the weekend will bring above-average temperatures and a heat index near 43 degrees.

A ridge of high pressure will persist over the Deep South for the short term. By this evening, surface high pressure will move away from the East Coast, leading to increased humidity during your Independence Day.

Today will be dry across most of the region, with afternoon highs in the 35-40 degrees Celsius range. Higher dew points and warmer temperatures on Thursday could push heat index readings to 38-40 degrees Celsius. While it is unlikely that the criteria for a heat warning will be met, temperatures will rise on Thursday, with highs in the 35-40 degrees Celsius range.

The upper ridge will continue to move east, which will increase moisture. Given the heat and humidity, heat index values ​​could reach 110 Friday afternoon. Isolated showers or thunderstorms are possible, but most of us will likely stay dry.

A weak front will approach the Southeast over the weekend, but is expected to stay west of the area, keeping moisture there. Scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms are possible on both Saturday and Sunday.

Maximum temperatures will remain predominantly between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius and the heat index could reach values ​​of up to 48 degrees. A heat warning could be issued for Friday and possibly also for the weekend.