MD Weather: 103-Degree Heat Index Will Bake State

MARYLAND — Back-to-back triple-digit scorchers will kick off the work week in Maryland.

The heat index, or feels-like temperature when heat and humidity combine, could reach 103 degrees both Monday and Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Hot and humid conditions likely will continue through the early week because of an offshore high pressure system known as a Bermuda high, meteorologists say. Forecast highs in the Baltimore-DC region are in the mid-90s Monday and Tuesday, with a 30 percent chance of rain throught Tuesday night.

"While the first half of the week will bring stifling heat and humidity to much of the East Coast, a cold front will begin to make some progress to the south and east starting Wednesday," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Carl Babinski on Monday.

As the front pulls away by the end of the week, it will carry with it the sticky conditions currently lingering across the mid-Atlantic region. Cities that experienced their hottest day of the summer on Thursday, Aug. 4, will soon have temperatures that are a few degrees below average for this time of year, AccuWeather predicts.

Showers and thunderstorms forecast for Monday and Tuesday will only bring more moisture to the region, the National Weather Service said.

Potential downpours followed by sunny weather will create steamy weather.

But cooler air is likely to arrive on Wednesday, although storms could linger. The NWS predicts highs in the upper-80s.

There will be less of a temperature drop along the Interstate 95 zone and the beaches in the Northeast compared to the mountains due to the effects of warm Atlantic waters and widespread urbanization, DaSilva explained.

However, even in cities from Boston to New York City and Washington, D.C., temperatures will trend downward by several degrees by next weekend. Highs near 90 degrees Fahrenheit early in the week could be swapped with highs in the low 80s by the end of the week.

Here's the complete National Weather Service forecast for Maryland.

Monday: Isolated showers between 1pm and 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 103. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, then a slight chance of showers between 9pm and 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. Southwest wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 103. Southwest wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tuesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday: A slight chance of showers before 11am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11am and 2pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. High near 89. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2am, then a chance of showers. Low around 71. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday: A chance of showers before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.