How to prepare for next week’s Washington DC heat wave
A heat wave will hit Washington, DC next week with temperatures expected to exceed 100°F. Stay hydrated, check your air conditioning, and take advantage of our free cooling center.
The central United States faces unusually hot and potentially dangerous days ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, with meteorologists warning that some areas won’t see any improvement in overnight weather.
A developing heat dome is expected to build and expand across the region as the week progresses, with daytime highs approaching triple digits in some areas. AccuWeather said in an online forecast that the system is expected to spread across parts of the East for several days.
“If you’re concerned about the heat, you’re going to be very uncomfortable without air conditioning,” AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Duffus said.
The timing means visitors celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday in Washington, D.C., could face dangerously hot temperatures.
In addition to widespread high pressure in the 90s, this system will bring high humidity to the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, and more than 24 states will be affected at its peak, Duffus said.
In urban areas, heat is retained by solar energy absorbed by pavement, brick, and concrete, and the long daylight hours in June and July mean nighttime lows can exceed 80 degrees.
“While there are a small number of locations that will record high temperatures each day, there could be many more that experience record-breaking nighttime temperatures,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
Dangerous heat in the Midwest
Chicago residents can expect high temperatures around 90 degrees for four to five consecutive days, according to AccuWeather.
High temperatures in St. Louis are typically in the low 80s this time of year, but at least eight straight days are expected to see temperatures rise into the 90s and approach 100 degrees.
High temperatures in Kansas City are also expected to be in the mid to upper 90s, according to the National Weather Service.
As humidity increases, the dew point exceeds the 70 degree threshold. This is where things get dangerous. As AccuWeather explains, a high dew point slows sweat evaporation, making it harder for your body to cool down. If the effects last for a long time, the risk of summer fatigue and heat stroke increases.
Three digits in the east?
The one-two punch of heat and humidity is expected to reach eastern states by midweek and could last through the Fourth of July weekend, according to AccuWeather.
High temperatures could reach 100 degrees in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., for at least a few days, which is well above average high temperatures in the mid to upper 80s.
Temperatures in New York City could reach the century mark as the weekend approaches. Triple digits are even more likely in Newark, New Jersey. Both effects are exacerbated by humidity and cloud cover, with heat indexes reaching 110.
Forecasters say the region is not expected to cool down until the holiday weekend.
Prolonged wildfire situation in the southwest
Elsewhere, thunderstorms are expected to develop along the edge of the heat dome from the Rocky Mountains to the northern Plains, and along the Gulf Coast, with a brief break in thunderstorms possible in the afternoon, AccuWeather said.
Meanwhile, in the short term, wildfire conditions remain severe in the Southwest, particularly in the Four Corners region and parts of the Great Basin, the National Weather Service said. The agency’s office in Grand Junction, Colorado, said wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph will cause another day of “severe fire action” and smoke from area fires will affect air quality and visibility.
As the jet stream shifts over the Fourth of July weekend, the heat dome should retreat into the plains, finally bringing cooler air to the sweltering East.
