You may have heard more talk and discussion about the term "derecho" in the last couple of days than you ever did in Spanish class after a damaging line of thunderstorms slapped South Jersey and Delaware around last Friday night. From a meteorological perspective, a derecho is a long duration line of thunderstorms that produces significant amounts of damaging straight line wind along its path. One of the translations for derecho is "straight," which is the variant that led to the meteorological term, because these storms produce a ton of straight line wind damage. 

A derecho is similar in many respects to a squall line, but they travel over longer distances and more frequently occur in the summer, fueled by heat and humidity. Last Friday's derecho traveled 1000 miles in 17 hours, from Iowa to the East Coast.

Switching from Spanish and Meteorology 101 to this week's weather, we're in the peak of summer heat as a heat wave has been in place since Thursday. We might see a temporary break one or two days this week, with Monday, Thursday, or Friday as possible days where highs may peak in the 80s. It doesn't mean jacket weather or open windows throughout the area, but it won't be as hot as it was at the end of last week. There won't be any 100 degree weather or even upper 90s over the course of the week.  The heat does mean a pop-up or scattered thunderstorm can't be ruled out over the next couple of days, but odds lean towards this being the exception and not the rule.

The hottest days this week look to be the Fourth of July and again next Sunday. Weather on the Fourth will also include a chance for thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening as we briefly spike in heat ahead of a weak cool front that pushes down from Canada.  hat front will act as a trigger for scattered thunderstorms around the region.  

Next Sunday features a potential repeat of the Fourth, with scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms.   

Tom Thunstrom is the editor and publisher of Phillyweather.net. You can also follow Phillyweather.net on twitter at @phillywx or on Facebook.