Less humid air makes a mild Tuesday, near-record lows Wednesday morning

Tuesday will be a less humid day, and we could see near-record lows by Wednesday morning.

Highs Tuesday make it into the mid-to-upper 70s.

• Tuesday: More clouds than sun. Cooler and less humid. Highs in the mid 70s.
• Wednesday: More sunshine. Warmer with low humidity. Highs in the low to mid 80s.
• Thursday: Heating up a bit. Highs in the upper 80s.

This drop in humidity is just what the doctor ordered for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final! Whether you're tailgating or going to an outdoor watch party, the weather looks perfect! Maybe pack an extra layer if the game runs late. 

The combination of a clear sky, calm wind and low humidity will allow temperatures to drop quickly tonight into Wednesday morning. 

In fact, we're tracking near-record lows around sunrise Wednesday. Most of us will likely bottom out at 45 to 50 degrees!

The last time the Triangle was in the 40s in the month of June was back in 2003 - before the Canes won their first Stanley Cup!

Sinking air beneath high pressure not only keeps us dry, but it will eventually lead to hotter weather later in the week.

Highs will jump to the mid-upper 80s Thursday and 90s into the weekend as an upper-level ridge builds over the region.  

Monday is the official start to Atlantic hurricane season, which runs until November 30. Nothing is currently outlooked by the National Hurricane Center. 

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. 

This spring remains the driest start to the season on record.

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."

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.

• Tuesday: Partly cloudy and less muggy. Highs in the upper 70s.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny skies and still pleasant. Highs in the lower 80s.
• Thursday: Partly cloudy and warmer. It's still comfortable with low humidity. Highs in the mid to upper 80s.
• Friday: Getting hotter. Highs in the lower 90s.
• Saturday: Partly cloudy and hotter. Highs jump to the low to mid 90s.
• Sunday: Mainly dry and still hot. Highs in the low to mid 90s.
• Monday: Tracking the chance for showers and storms. Highs in the upper 80s.