Record Highs in Jeopardy in Heat-Weary Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Through Saturday

Brian Donegan
Published: September 9,2016
After one of the hottest summers on record, another prolonged spell of heat will flirt with daily records in the Northeast through Saturday.
(MORE: Where Summer 2016 Was the Hottest on Record)
Not only will highs climb into the 90s, but the humidity will make it feel even more unbearable with heat index values topping 100 degrees in some cities.
Temperatures will cool off for many in the Northeast on Saturday, but they will stay hot in the Mid-Atlantic.

Current "Feels Like" Temperature

Record or Near-Record Heat in the Northeast

The heat will begin to diminish on Saturday as a large ridge of high pressure (bulge in the jet stream) begins to weaken in the Northeast. One concern with this is that many kids have gone back to school this week, and most schools don't have air conditioning in this part of the country.
The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories from Delaware and parts of Maryland's Eastern Shore to eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey, as heat indices are forecast to be as high as 105 degrees.

Current Heat Alerts

Some places in the East will stay hot into Saturday, as well. This means highs well into the 90s are expected, with heat indices near or above 100 degrees at times.
(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast Highs/Lows)

Forecast Highs

Some of these high temperatures will approach daily record levels.
There won't be much relief from the heat at night. Low temperatures will generally hold in the 70s the next several mornings.
Friday morning, Philadelphia's low dipped only to 80 degrees. The city's all-time warmest daily low temperature in September is 78 degrees on September 11,1931.
(MORE: Urban Heat Islands: Why Cities are Warmer than Rural Areas)

Setup for this Late Summer Heat

A large ridge of high pressure (bulge in the jet stream) has taken hold of the Northeast. This has caused a quick increase in temperatures and dew points.
(MORE: Record Streak for Oppressive Humidity Set at New York's JFK Airport)
Dew points will exceed 70 degrees at times through Saturday, and when combined with temperatures in the 90s, some places could see heat indices over 100 degrees.

When Will Relief Arrive?

A cold front will finally sweep the excessive heat and humidity away from the Northeast Sunday, ushering in highs in the 70s and 80s.
Even highs in the 80s won't feel as oppressive along the I-95 corridor with dew points in the pleasant 40s and 50s, rather than the oppressively muggy 70s.
(FORECAST: Boston | New York | Philadelphia | Washington D.C. | Pittsburgh | Syracuse)

Surface weather setup for Sunday in the Northeast.

Given the lower dew points and cooler temperatures, you'll also be able to open windows at night, with lows cooling into the 50s and 60s before sunrise.
(MAPS: 10-day U.S. Forecast Highs/Lows)
Next week, the warmth will build again in advance of a second cold front due to arrive around mid-week. Highs may flirt with the 90-degree mark again before that occurs in parts of the Mid-Atlantic states.

Record High Recap

Wednesday, roughly a handful of daily record highs were tied or set, including:

• Cleveland, Ohio: 94 degrees (tie)
• Zanesville, Ohio: 93 degrees (tie)
• Allentown, Pennsylvania: 91 degrees (tie)
• Wheeling, West Virginia: 90 degrees

Thursday, daily record highs were set at the following places:

• Washington's Dulles Airport: 96 degrees
• Georgetown, Delaware: 94 degrees
• Williamsport, Pennsylvania: 94 degrees 
• Trenton, New Jersey: 95 degrees (tie)
• Wilmington, North Carolina: 94 degrees (tie)

The National Weather Service has issued some great heat safety tips.

• Drink before you are thirsty.
• Do NOT leave kids or pets in the car, even for a minute.
• Reduce time in the sun.
• Avoid strenuous activity; postpone outdoor activities.
• Seek air-conditioned buildings.
• Help the elderly, kids and pets stay cool.
• Keep window blinds closed.

MORE: Urban Heat Islands