Much of southern US to get a break from heat, high humidity

Some of the cooler and less humid air en route to the Midwest and Northeast will reach part of the southern United States later this week.

While the main thrust of refreshing air will be eastward, rather than southward, temperatures and humidity levels will be trimmed substantially over the interior South and along much of the Gulf of Mexico coast.

The leading edge of this more comfortable air will reach the Houston area on Friday and should last into early next week.

People struggling without air conditioning and cleaning up and making repairs in the wake of Hurricane Harvey will get a break.

"The slightly cooler and less humid air will spread eastward across the central and northeastern Gulf coast this weekend," according to AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

From west to east, later this week and this weekend, areas from Dallas to New Orleans; Little Rock, Arkansas; Jackson, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; Atlanta; Charleston, South Carolina; and Charlotte, North Carolina, will notice the change.

High temperatures in many areas south of Interstate 20 will be trimmed by an average of 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit.

A similar reduction in dew point temperatures are also in store. The dew point represents how much the air has to be cooled to become saturated. When dew points are in the 70s like they are now, many people feel uncomfortable and perspiration is slow to evaporate.

Dew point temperatures will drop into the 60s in many areas and could dip into the 50s over the interior South for a time.

"For those in South Texas and in central and southern Florida, little to no relief from the steamy conditions are likely from this particular cool push," Pastelok said.

In Florida, the only relief through next week will be temporary by way of pop-up thunderstorms.

Floridians cleaning up and making repairs from Key West, to Naples, Fort Myers, Tampa, Miami and Fort Lauderdale in the wake of Hurricane Irma will face sweltering heat a while longer.

"There are a lot of mixed signals on more heat versus cool air over the Deep South for the middle of October," Pastelok said.

"Most likely, areas such as South Texas and much of the Florida Peninsula may stay quite warm and humid during October."