Looks like there’s a heatwave making itself at home here in the D.C area:
After a June that had record rain and water seemingly everywhere, the National Weather Service issued heat advisories yesterday for the District, Arlington County, Alexandria, Falls Church, Baltimore and parts of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Forecasters said the region will have searing temperatures near 100, heat indexes well over 100 and probably no break through the weekend.
The cause is a vast high-pressure system that has baked much of the nation and is drifting out over the ocean. The heat and humidity should soar today, tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday, creating potentially hazardous conditions. Air quality is forecast to be at unhealthy levels for people in sensitive groups, including children, the elderly and those with heart or respiratory ailments.
The weather service urged people who go outside to drink plenty of fluids, try to stay out of the sun and never leave a child or pet unattended in a vehicle, even with the windows open.
The high today is forecast to be around 100. The heat index — a combined measure of heat and humidity that is supposed to reflect how it feels — could reach 102. Tomorrow’s high should be about 98, but higher humidity could push the index to 106.
Today and tomorrow are expected to be Code Orange days for air quality because of higher ozone levels, according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
This probably will be the longest and hottest local heat wave since summer 2002, when the mercury hit 95 or higher for eight straight days in mid-August, according to weather service meteorologist Roger Smith.
Hunker down folks.
