Residents of Jacksonville, Florida, are bracing for a sweltering week ahead. As the humidity clings to a high 79%, the city awakened to the promise of a mostly sunny and hot day, with the mercury aiming to peak at 96 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat index, a measure that combines air temperature with relative humidity to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature, is set to hover as high as 104 degrees, offering no refuge for the heat-weary, according to the National Weather Service .

In what seems an endeavor to provide brief respite, the wind is anticipated to shift from calm to a southwest direction, moving at a gentle pace of 5 to 9 mph by morning. Tonight, the skies are expected to clear up, offering a balmy low around 74 degrees, while a southwest wind gusts around 8 mph.

As Wednesday rolls in, Jacksonville faces a 30 percent chance of showers post 2 pm, with conditions remaining mostly sunny and hot. The pace of the west wind is set to noticeably pick up, breezing through at 13 to 16 mph and gusts possibly reaching 24 mph.

By Wednesday evening, a slight chance of showers is forecasted before 8 pm, giving way to a mostly cloudy night with a low around 71 degrees. Those winds are slated to persist, remaining breezy with a west wind traveling at 10 to 15 mph, and gusts potentially to rise up to 23 mph. Looking forward, the latter part of the week proposes a continuation of mostly sunny skies, with highs teasing the low 90s, while nightly lows are preparing to graciously dip into the low 70s.

Memorial Day weekend in Jacksonville, while mostly sunny, will not be entirely devoid of precipitation. A slight 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms is on the docket for the holiday. Despite the potential for brief rain, the temperature is expected to ascend near 94 degrees. Residents and visitors planning to commemorate the day outdoors should remain mindful of the possible need to swiftly adjust their plans should the skies decide to open.