Hot is an Understatement

I would like a chance to redeem myself for the moment. Did not forecast thunderstorms this early in the day across the east. This will drastically reduce high temperatures today in Eastern South Dakota. For this I apologize. However, if it wasn't for this rogue cluster of storms, it would be ridiculously hot. For instance, I found a couple of things that makes me thankful that I indeed was wrong in my forecast. This first graphic is a surface chart showing temperature in red and dew point in green at certain areas across the region. Notice NW Iowa with dew points well into the 70's to near 80 degrees which makes the air oppressively humid.However, not on that map is an observation taken in Algona, Iowa which is about 40 or so miles east of Spencer. The current observation at 11:15 this morning is located below.

Please take note of two things. 1) The dew point, which is the highest dew point I have ever observed. 2) The heat index of 121 degrees which is unbelievable and would be unbearable.

So despite the fact that many of us have seen rain this morning, it may be a blessing in disguise if the alternative was that kind of heat.

~KDLT Meteorologist Cody Matz