The most important weather events to start the week include the National Hurricane Center tracking two systems with increasing odds of producing the Alantic Hurricane Season's first tropical depression or storm. Meanwhile, a heat dome is developing across the Eastern half of the US. On the West Coast, a fast-moving wildfire northwest of Los Angeles has already scorched thousands of acres.
Let's begin with the two disturbances the NHC is tracking. The first one is located near the southern Gulf of Mexico, over Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. NHC says there is a 70% chance of formation in the next 48 hours, and that chance will remain at 70% for the next week.
Government weather forecasters are also tracking a trough of low pressure a hundred miles northeast of the central Bahamas. There's a 10% chance of formation over the next 48 hours.
Across the Lower 48, a heat dome could produce widespread record-high temperatures through the end of the week in the Midwest, the Northeast, and the Mid-Atlantic.
The National Weather Service forecasts a prolonged period of dangerously hot conditions" with "intense heat and high humidity."
"Heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events," NWS wrote, adding, "particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities."
"Not only is it going to be hot, it's going to be stagnant conditions," FOX Weather meteorologist Steve Bender said, adding, "You're not going to have any kind of breeze that will cool you off either by the time we get into the middle to latter half of the week."
On the West Coast, just northwest of Los Angeles, a fast-moving wildfire has burned more than 14,600 acres and forced the evacuation of 1,200 people.
Glad we made it through before they possibly shut down the 5. Bad day for a fire. Insane clip of burned cars halfway through #gormanFire #fire @KTLA pic.twitter.com/IRZxlzTKJv
— Dhalgren Marquis (@DhalgrenMarquis) June 16, 2024
WILD FIRES, CALIFORNIA
— Abhay (@AstuteGaba) June 16, 2024
Post Fire grows to 10,504 acres; Castaic on evacuation warning
JUNE 16,2024
The Post Fire, which originated in Gorman on Saturday afternoon, has grown to 10,504 acres and is 2% contained as of Sunday morning as Castaic residents have been urged to… pic.twitter.com/rK56bsOu3G
The #postfire has explosively grown to over 11,000 acres near Gorman in Southern CA. In this pic the smoke plume from the fire now covers much of Southwest CA (over some marine clds along the coast too). Evacuations have taken place. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/sBA31sAhoV
— Ken Clark (@ClarkKenwxman) June 16, 2024
That's the weather wrap to start the week.