Bolaris: Brutal heat wave on way?

Could I be dead wrong?

Not one forecaster or weather outlet is forecasting a heat wave for next week - except for me.

But all the computer models hint that perhaps the biggest heat wave of the season to smother the entire Delaware Valley will commence on Tuesday.  It could possibly continue into next  weekend.

But, first, the forecast for this weekend, which is looking great, from mountains to shore, with plenty of sunshine and low humidity. The only fly in the ointment could be an offshore disturbance that could bring clouds and perhaps a few showers for the shore on Sunday.  Otherwise the weekend will be dry all-around the Philadelphia region.

The city will see highs in the mid-80s.  In the Poconos, they'll see high's near 80.  At the Shore, Saturday will be the better day with highs in the upper 70s.

Now, for next week.

The reason you might not know of a possible heatwave on the horizon: The 10-day forecasts on your phone and other electronics are generated by a 24-hour stream of computer data relayed to your device by a weather provider.  Most local and national TV forecasters use this computer information as the Bible and simply leave it be.  Generally, it is fine on a day-to-day basis.

However on a medium to long range basis (5 days and beyond) it can really mess up long-range plans. Here's what I see on the horizon for next week.

The set-up:

A tremendous dome of heat will start building across the Tennessee Valley come Tuesday.  That will force a retreat of the jet stream north of the border, cutting off any cool air that would try to dip into the Northeast. At the same time, a dip on the western side of the heat dome (a trough) will act as an additional alley way for unbearably humid air to be transported Northeastward.

The combination of the two will send temperatures into the 90s from Tuesday through Friday.

Another slow moving cool front could crack the heat wave by next weekend, but not before the threat of more severe weather for the second half of next week.

It's still a bit far out to give exact temperatures.  But it isn't out of the question that the heat wave could hit the century mark by the middle of next week.