July 2012 will end up as one of the top three hottest months in Philadelphia's records once the month ends on Tuesday. The only question is whether it finishes second or third. We won't know that answer with certainty until Tuesday night, but it should not end up as hot as last July, which is the hottest on record in Philly.
This week won't feature excessive or gut-wrenching heat but it will feature unsettled weather thanks to a trough in the atmosphere that is going to park itself just off the East Coast. This will provide for chances of thunderstorms on a number of days this week -- with the greatest chances for storms on Tuesday, Wednesday, and also on Saturday into Sunday. With two disturbances tracking through during those timeframes, thunderstorm chances will increase and bring the potential for heavy rainfall and gusty winds. Between Tuesday and Wednesday, it looks like Tuesday would provide the better chance for more widespread thunderstorms as the disturbance approaches the region during the afternoon hours, with Wednesday providing a second shot at lingering thunderstorms as the disturbances pass through.
Thursday and perhaps Friday, should be dry and warm and temperatures may approach 90 either afternoon if there's enough sunshine. More storms are possible this weekend with another trough crossing the region, with the prospect of more rainfall for portions of the region.
It's important to note that despite heavy rain in some spots this past Thursday and Saturday, not everyone has benefitted from those rains. Philadelphia picked up just a few hundredths of an inch at the airport while Trenton picked up over two inches on Saturday and Pottstown only picked up a trace. With more scatterings of heavy rainfall likely this week, some spots could have some localized flooding to deal with while others may continue to remain dry.
___________
Tom Thunstrom is the editor and publisher of Phillyweather.net. You can also follow Phillyweather.net on twitter at @phillywx or on Facebook.