When Will Relief from the Brutal Heat Arrive?

Brian Donegan
Published: July 27,2016
A stretch of oppressive heat and humidity, which spread from the Plains and Midwest into the East, will only live for about one more day. Unfortunately, the heat will only continue to build in the West through the remainder of this week.
Expansive high pressure in the upper atmosphere will focus on parts of the West into late-week, sending heat indices soaring above 100 degrees.
The National Weather Service has issued various heat alerts for portions of the East and West.

Heat Alerts

On the other hand, parts of the nation's mid-section are already enjoying a little breather from the worst of summer's dog-day heat, and relief is on the way for the East by Friday.
(MORE: Check the Forecast for the Next 10 Days)

Northeast: Relief By Friday?

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. Although not quite as scorching, these cities will continue to see highs in the low-mid-90s into Thursday, with heat indices near or above 100 degrees during the afternoon.
Highs in the 90s are also expected in Philadelphia and New York City through Thursday, with heat index values in the mid-upper 90s at times.
(MORE: Heat is the Deadliest Kind of Weather)
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.

Forecast Highs

Relief from the heat and humidity looks to finally arrive on Friday. A subtle, southward dip in the jet stream (trough of low pressure) will bring a welcomed return to near-average temperatures into the weekend. This means highs in the 80s rather than the 90s to near 100.
(MORE: What is the Heat Index?)

Central States Get a Breather

A cold front will deliver another shot of cooler, less humid air to much of the nation's Midwest late this week.
Much of the nation's heartland will have high temperatures below late July averages, including 80s for many, and some 70s in the northern Plains, Upper Midwest and northern Great Lakes.
Areas near Lake Superior in the Arrowhead of Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan may struggle to rise into the low 70s on Thursday.
This comes after much of the central U.S. dealt with dangerous conditions last week, with heat indices around 115 degrees in some spots.
(MORE: Forecast Temperature Maps)

Forecast Highs

Western Heat Builds

West of the Rockies, a hot week will continue as high pressure aloft over the Desert Southwest bulges northward into the northern Great Basin and Northwest.
Triple-digit heat is expected as far north as interior parts of eastern Washington and northern Idaho this week, including Boise and Salt Lake City, among other locations.
Highs well into the 90s will surge north into Oregon's Willamette Valley, including the Portland metro area.
Parts of California's Central Valley, as well as southern Nevada and the low deserts of southern Arizona, will likely top 110 degrees.
Some daily record highs may be threatened in locations such as Reno, Nevada, and Grand Junction, Colorado, each nearing or topping the century mark for multiple days.

Southwest Forecast Highs

Heat Recap: 
Reno, Nevada, tied a daily record high of 103 degrees Wednesday. Las Vegas also tied a daily record high Wednesday by reaching 115 degrees.
Washington D.C. and Baltimore both reached 100 degrees Monday, 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 Monday, and had long eclipsed the previous July record of six days with highs of 105 degrees set in 1995.
Sunday'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 Friday afternoon.
The heat index at Memphis, Tennessee, reached 114 degrees on Friday afternoon while up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota it felt like 110 degrees.
Dallas reached 100 degrees on Friday for the first time this year, and then reached 100 degrees again on Saturday.
On Thursday, 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 Wednesday. 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 Friday 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.

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