Near-record heat expected on Sunday, small chance for rain returns

The summer heat returns to the forecast and will stick around through next week. 

It will be very hot on Sunday. Highs could reach 96 degrees, just 4 degrees shy of the record.

• Sunday: Partly cloudy and hot. Highs in the mid-90s. A stray storm late in the day.
• Monday: Not far from a record high again. Highs in the mid-90s.
• Tuesday: Slightly cooler but still hot with lots of sun. Highs in the low 90s.

Sinking air beneath high pressure not only keeps us dry, but it will also cause us to see more heat on Sunday. We've had a dozen 90-degree days so far this year, and we'll see more of that during this summer-like pattern.

We have a hot Sunday ahead with highs reaching the mid to upper 90s, and temperatures are only going to get hotter as we head into next week. 

A few stray showers and storms are possible near the Virginia state line late Sunday, as a front pushes into the area.

Monday will be hot as well with highs back in the mid-upper 90s. Some isolated storms will be possible south of I-40 Monday afternoon.

By Tuesday, we’ll see slightly cooler temps, but it will still be hot.

Near-record heat returns Thursday and Friday afternoons ahead of another cold front.

"Near-record heat is back in the mix by Thursday and Friday ahead of a front that produces scattered storms," WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels said. I would imagine that - with that level of heat - any storms could become strong."

The next shot as scattered showers and storms likely doesn't come until next Friday. This is when another front tries to collapse onto our building heat. 

Monday was the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs until November 30. 

While the Atlantic basin is quiet so far, Tropical Storm Amanda is churning in the middle of the Pacific. This is what we call a "fish storm," unlikely to impact any areas of land.

WRAL is forecasting near-to-below-average activity in the Atlantic Basin this season. Keep in mind that doesn't mean we're completely void of storms. 

WATCH: We discuss the reasoning behind that forecast in this special report.

While recent rains have eased the drought a bit, especially in the south-central part of the state, the Triangle is still about 10 to 14 inches behind normal rainfall this year.

There's been no rain at Raleigh Durham International Airport since May 25.

Much of western and central North Carolina is in an extreme drought -- the highest level, according to the latest drought monitor.

"The drought is still likely to persist into the summer months," WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels said. "We need a ton of rain to get rid of it -- it's going to take months."

According to the Palmer Drought Severity Index, this is the worst drought our area has seen since March of 2008.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is an aggregation of measurements including precipitation, soil moisture, evaporation, temperature and reservoir levels that classifies conditions at six levels:

• None: Normal conditions
• Abnormally dry
• Moderate drought
• Severe drought
• Extreme drought
• Exceptional drought

In an extreme drought, major crop and pasture losses are expected, reservoirs and wells are at very low levels and many municipalities limit water use.

• Sunday: Highs in the mid 90s. A mix of sun and high clouds.
• Monday: Partly cloudy skies. Isolated storms south of I-40. Highs in the mid 90s.
• Tuesday: Partly cloudy and less humid. Highs in the low 90s.
• Wednesday: Highs in the low to mid 90s.
• Thursday: Isolated storms possible. It's hotter with highs in the mid to upper 90s.
• Friday: Scattered storms possible. Highs in the upper 90s.
• Saturday: Highs hot in the low to mid 90s. Some scattered rain and storms possible.