Uncomfortable Humidity to Subside Slowly Following Northeast Heat Wave

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

August 17,2015; 8:55PM,EDT

 

 

A heat wave in much of the Interstate 95 corridor will soon be replaced by lower temperatures, but high humidity will be slow to withdraw.

Uncomfortable Heat and Humidity from D.C. to Boston

Temperatures are projected to challenge record highs in some cities such as New York City and Philadelphia through Tuesday. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will peak near 100 F in many locations from coastal Maine to northeastern Virginia.

People are encouraged to drink water and electrolyte-balancing fluids if they must do manual labor. If you must spend a great deal of time outdoors, take frequent breaks from the heat and spend some time with air conditioning, when possible.
The weather will offer a great opportunity to head the beach or the pool to stay cool.

One Way to Beat the Intense Heat in NYC: Dancing?

The multiple days of hot weather have the potential to impact the electric grid in the region and could result in minor transportation delays. Vehicles can overheat more easily and emergency-braking action is reduced during hot weather.
By the middle of the week, a front is forecast to push in from the Midwest and will bring cooler air and lower humidity levels to the Appalachians.

Highs will be in the 70s in the Appalachians and the lower Great Lakes region during the middle and latter part of the week.
However, the air may actually turn more humid near the East Coast due to a light east to southeasterly flow. Actual temperatures will be lower due to patchy clouds, spotty thunderstorms and a light flow off of the Atlantic Ocean. Highs will generally be in the 80s, but RealFeel Temperatures may still peak in the 90s later this week.

According to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, the front is likely to stall along the Atlantic Seaboard during the second half of this week.
"It could feel just as uncomfortable Wednesday into Friday as this past weekend and the start of the week, due to the higher humidity levels," Abrams said.
The stalled front could bring occasional showers and thunderstorms to the I-95 cities and beaches during the latter part of the week.
RELATED:
Heat Wave Bakes NYC, Philadelphia and DC
2015 US Fall Forecast: Warm Weather to Kick off Fall for Mid-Atlantic, Northeast
Record-Challenging Heat to Surge Across Northwest US, Enhance Wildfire Risk
According to AccuWeather Chief Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok, temperatures could throttle back up next week in the East, but perhaps not to record-challenging levels.
"Temperatures could flirt with 90 on multiple days next week in the Northeast and where it does not hit 90, it may feel like it with high humidity," Pastelok said.
Many locations have reached or exceeded the number of days with 90 degree-Fahrenheit temperatures so far this this year compared to all of last year.

Some locations may even have an above-average number of 90-degree days by the middle of September.
For part of the Northeast, this is the first heat wave of the summer and in others this is but one of several heat waves so far.
A heat wave in the Northeast is officially defined as three or more days in a row with high temperatures reaching 90 or higher.
For Boston and part of the New York City area (Central Park and Brooklyn), this is the first heat wave. In other parts of New York City (Queens and Newark, New Jersey) to Richmond, Virginia, this is one of several heat waves this summer.
A number of locations have had multiple stretches of days with high temperatures ranging from the upper 80s to the lower 90s.