Hot No Matter How You Slice It.

No matter how you slice it, it's just plain miserable outside these days. And when you compare it to last year at this same time, you realize how good we had it last summer.

• July 30th, 2006 - 94 July 30th, 2005 - 86
• July 31st, 2006 - 96 July 31st, 2005 - 90
• Aug. 1st, 2006 - 99 Aug. 1st, 2005 - 88
• Aug. 2nd, 2006 - 97 Aug. 2nd, 2005 - 89

Today's high should be up around 97 again today. 3 shy of tying the record set in 1957, and 4 degrees hotter than last year at the same time. Whew!

It will get SLIGHTLY cooler by the first part of next week, but right now no big relief ahead.

Good news this morning regarding Tropical Storm "Chris". Winds are down to 45 mph, and that may even be a stretch. The National Hurricane Center has "Chris" moving over Cuba and into the Gulf as a Tropical Storm and NOT a hurricane. After that it's anybodies guess....but Texans may want to stay tuned.

Hopefully you'll have something that looks like the shot I took above of the Tennessee Aquarium. At the time the picture was taken, a heavy downpour was coming down on Lookout Mountain, and the rain cooled air was feeling good near the river. More of you will see afternoon storms this weekend.

Today: Partly cloudy with a 30% chance for an afternoon storm. High: 97

Tonight: Storms fade, muggy. Low: 74

Friday: Steamy again with a 30% chance for an afternoon storm. High: 96

Saturday and Sunday: Partly cloudy with a 40% chance for an afternoon storm. Highs both days around 94.

Monday: Partly cloudy with a 30% chance for an afternoon storm. Highs near 92.

Stay cool!