Weather! Heat continues through the weekend

Our heat wave is going to peak this weekend, as temperatures climb into the 100s on consecutive days. The heat breaks on Monday, but it’s going to be pretty miserable until then.

July 22, 2011; 1:29 PM • by Weather Dan

Richmond hit a high of 99 on Thursday, and that’s just a preview of what’s to come.

Unfortunately, MSNBC is reporting that 22 people have perished as a result of this heat wave. The conditions have also threatened livestock in drought-plagued portions of the Great Plains,

An Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect through 8pm Saturday.

…EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY…

AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY.

* MAXIMUM FORECAST HEAT INDICES: 110 TO 120 DEGREES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AFTERNOONS.

* TIMING AND IMPACTS: THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY… ESPECIALLY FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH SUNSET…WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUSLY HIGH HEAT INDICES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. THIS WILL CREATE A SIGNIFICANT STRESS ON INDIVIDUALS AND WILL INCREASE THE RISK OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES…SUCH AS HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. ANYONE WORKING OUTSIDE…PLAYING SPORTS… WORKING OUT OR JOGGING OUTDOORS…DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS THROUGH SUNSET…WILL BE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE. PEOPLE LIVING OR WORKING IN NON-AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS WILL ALSO BE MORE PRONE TO HEAT RELATED ILLNESS. LITTLE RELIEF IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT…WITH NIGHTTIME HEAT INDICES EXPECTED TO FALL ONLY INTO THE LOW TO MID 80S…WITH THE WARMEST READINGS IN URBAN AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY IN THE SHADE IF POSSIBLE…AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN POSSIBLE…RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK…THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY – CALL 9 1 1.

Additionally, we’re under a Code Orange air quality alert on Friday.

…AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT FRIDAY NIGHT…

THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY HAS ISSUED A CODE |ORANGE AIR QUALITY ALERT ACROSS THE RICHMOND METRO AREA FOR GROUND LEVEL OZONE…IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT FRIDAY NIGHT.

AIR QUALITY IS EXPECTED TO REACH CODE ORANGE…WHICH IS UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS…AND MEANS INDIVIDUALS WITH RESPIRATORY AND/OR HEART AILMENTS…OLDER ADULTS…AND CHILDREN SHOULD REDUCE PROLONGED OR HEAVY OUTDOOR EXERTION.

AN AIR QUALITY ALERT MEANS THAT GROUND LEVEL OZONE CONCENTRATIONS WITHIN THE REGION MAY APPROACH OR EXCEED UNHEALTHY STANDARDS. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION…PLEASE VISIT THE VIRGINIA D E Q AIR QUALITY WEB SITE AT ALL LOWER CASE HTTP://WWW.DEQ.VIRGINIA.GOV/AIRQUALITY/

These forecasts are only done one day in advance, so I can’t say for certainty what will lie in store for the weekend, but I would not be surprised if the same forecast were issued for Saturday and possibly even Sunday.

It’s Friday, and at 8am we were already dealing with a temperature of 85F and a heat index of 95F. We’re headed into the low 100s today, with heat index values somewhere around 115. Stay inside as much as you can, and try to stay cool and hydrated. There’s not much else I can say about that. Make sure to stay cool if you’re heading out to the Flying Squirrels doubleheader (vs. Harrisburg, 5:35pm). Game-time temps will be at or above 100 degrees for the first pitch, and will likely still be in the upper 80s by the end of the second game. Tonight we’ll see lows drop to near 80. There is the possibility for a very isolated shower or thunderstorm this evening, but nothing severe. Anything that pops up will likely dissipate quickly.

We’ll do it all over again on Saturday. Highs will be in the low 100s with dangerous heat index values in excess of 110 degrees. The excessive heat warning continues for tomorrow as well. For the Flying Squirrels day half of the doubleheader (1:00pm), plan on temperatures in the upper 90s at game time, rising into the lower 100s by the end of the game. Temperatures will still be hovering around 100 at the start of the second game (6:35pm), and drop into the upper 80s by the ninth inning. We’ll have additional scattered thunderstorms tomorrow; like today, they will probably be widely scattered and short-lived. Overnight lows will drop to near 80 again tomorrow night.

By the time Sunday rolls around, we’ll see a little bit of a break, but by “break” I really just mean that conditions will resemble Thursday’s high of 99 more than they would Friday and Saturday’s highs in the lower 100s. It will be hot and humid for yet another day, and we’ll probably see another round of heat advisories/warnings depending on any thunderstorms that may pop up on Saturday. More storms are likely Sunday afternoon/evening as well, and would help hold down temperatures some if they formed. Overnight lows will land in the mid 70s. Sunday’s Flying Squirrels game (vs. Harrisburg, 5:05pm) will again be during the heat of the day. First pitch will take place with temperatures in the upper 90s, dropping to around 90 by the end of the game.

By the time we hit Monday, relief will finally begin to take hold. Temperatures will retreat into the lower 90s for highs, though it will still continue to be humid. As long as we can make it through this weekend, relief is on the way.

July 22, 2011 1:29 PM 1