Severe weather expected Monday

QUICK-LOOK FORECAST

• Strong storms Monday
• Drying out mid-to-late week
• Late week highs near 90

DETAILED FORECAST

It will stay dry overnight with a few clouds but will be warm and muggy with lows near 70 degrees, StormCenter 7 Meteorologist Rich Wirdzek said.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for Butler, Darke, Greene, Montgomery, Preble, Warren, and Wayne counties from 8 a.m. Monday until 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Randolph County is also under a Flash Flood Watch from 5 a.m. Monday until 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Monday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop in the early afternoon within a very unstable airmass and highs in the mid-80s.

“Any storm will have the capability of producing damaging winds and large hail,” Wirdzek said. “Within this initial batch of storms, a tornado cannot be ruled out within the region, especially to our west.”

Later in the day, more sun will likely reinvigorate the atmosphere, allowing for the formation of more storms into the evening. A line, or large cluster of storms, is expected to develop to the northwest later in the day.

“The absolute track of this cluster is uncertain, but the potential exists for it to cross at least part of our area sometime in the evening,” Wirdzek said. “The primary high threat will be for damaging winds, but flash flooding concerns will increase due to the extremely high rain rates and the fact that this may be a second round of storms for many spots.”

Thunderstorms will move south of the area later Monday night.

Tuesday: Afternoon storms are expected in spots spots, however, the risk for severe weather will be much lower. Highs will reach the mid-80s.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy skies will dominate the day as a drying pattern begins. A slight drop in humidity is expected as well. Highs will be in the low 80s.

Thursday: A subtle move to a southerly flow will allow humidity to creep back into the region. It will stay dry with partly cloudy skies and highs in the mid-80s

Friday: Dry weather will continue with even more July-like weather: warm and humid with highs close to 90.