Heat Relief Engulfs the Northeast While the Plains Bake

Brian Donegan
Published: July 30,2016
The Northeast will finally enjoy relief from the heat this weekend but the heat will only continue to build in the West right through the weekend.
Expansive high pressure in the upper atmosphere will strictly focus on parts of the West into the weekend, sending heat indices soaring above 100 degrees.
(MORE: Check the Forecast for the Next 10 Days)

Heavy Rainfall Brings Northeast Heat Relief 

Temperature relief is in store for Philadelphia and New York City on Saturday, with highs actually ending up below average, in the low to mid 80s. Some cities may see a brief warm up on Sunday before cooler air returns.
A subtle, southward dip in the jet stream (trough of low pressure) will allow these near- or below-average temperatures to continue this weekend across the Northeast.
Additional cloud cover and heavy rain will come with the lower pressure, which will keep temperatures down through Tuesday. Upper 60s are even possible in the mountains of upper New England and eastern New York.
(MORE: Flash Flood Threat in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast)

Forecast Highs

Washington D.C. and Baltimore both hit 100 degrees Monday afternoon, tying or setting new daily record highs. This was the hottest weather they have seen since July 2012. A break finally arrived on Friday with lower humidity and high temperatures holding in the upper 80s – near seasonal averages.
Those who attended the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on Thursday had to deal with a high temperature of 95 degrees in the early afternoon, followed by thunderstorms with heavy rain and wind later.
Through Tuesday, Boston had recorded six consecutive 90-degree days. The streak ended Wednesday when they got stuck at 87 degrees, due to east to southeast winds off the Atlantic Ocean. The longest heat wave on record in Boston is nine days, back in July 1912.
(MORE: Heat is the Deadliest Kind of Weather)

Central States Warming Sunday as Heat Moves Out Of West

A warm up will begin on Sunday in many spots as heat moves east out of the Rockies. Temperatures will climb 10-20 degrees through early week following a mid-summer cool down over the weekend.
(MORE: Forecast Temperature Maps)
This comes after much of the central U.S. dealt with dangerous conditions last week, with heat indices around 115 degrees in some spots.
Those temperatures are not expected again.

Forecast Highs

Heat Recap

Reno, Nevada, tied a daily record high on July 28 by reaching 102 degrees. Las Vegas broke their record high of 114 degrees on July 28 by topping out at 115 degrees. Pueblo, Colorado, tied a record high on July 28 at 103 degrees.
Reno, Nevada, tied a daily record high of 103 degrees July 27. Las Vegas also tied a daily record high on July 27 by reaching 115 degrees.
Washington D.C. and Baltimore both reached 100 degrees on July 25, which tied record highs in both cities. Philadelphia got to 97 degrees, breaking the old record high of 96 degrees. Newark, New Jersey, came up just shy of the century mark, topping out at a record-breaking 99 degrees (old record 98 degrees).
Midland, Texas, set a July record for 100-degree-plus days on July 25, and had long eclipsed the previous July record of six days with highs of 105 degrees set in 1995.
July 24's daily record highs included El Paso, Texas (106 degrees; tied), Zanesville, Ohio (97 degrees), Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (95 degrees, tied), and Binghamton, New York (90 degrees).
Except for the Pacific Northwest, all other states in the Lower 48 had at least one location reporting a temperature of 90 degrees or above on July 22.
The heat index at Memphis, Tennessee, reached 114 degrees on July 22, while up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, it felt like 110 degrees.
Dallas reached 100 degrees on July 22 for the first time this year, and then reached 100 degrees again on July 23.
On July 21 the heat index at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, topped out at an extremely dangerous 116 degrees.
Waco, Texas, recorded its first 100-degree day of the year on July 20. The average date for Waco's first 100-degree day is July 4, so this came over two weeks later than average. Dallas reached 100 degrees on July 22 for the first time this year.
Incidentally, Salt Lake City's daily low temperature of 81 degrees on July 18 was the city's all-time hottest record low in records dating to 1874. It was also the hottest string of nights on record in the Utah capital city.

Heat Safety Tips

The hot conditions this week will be particularly dangerous for vulnerable groups such as the sick and the elderly. The National Weather Service offered useful heat safety tips that can be incorporated into a daily routine when extreme heat sets in.

• Job sites: Stay hydrated and take breaks in the shade as often as possible.
• Indoors: Check up on the elderly, sick and those without air conditioning.
• In vehicles: Never leave children or pets unattended – look before you lock.
• Outdoors: Limit strenuous activities and find shade. Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol.

MORE: Hydrating Foods For Summer