It's that time of year - moving into what has been the hottest week of the year, on average. The Baltimore forecast calls for highs in the 90s beginning on Sunday and stretching into all of next week. Monday's forecast calls for an AIRPORT high of 99 degrees. That could threaten the 101-degree record set for the date in 1988.

Here's AccuWeather's take on the heat as it pushes in from the Southwest.

The rain chances for Baltimore drop to zero after Saturday, so there will be plenty of clear sky and time for the sun to bore in and drive the mercury higher.

The average daily highs at BWI-Marshall over the 30-year period from 1970 to 2000 are 88 degrees between July 16 and 25 - the highest of the year. The overnight lows for that period average 66 degrees. They finally start to retreat on Aug. 5.

Suddenly, a nice February snowstorm begins to sound appealing. Or a sprint to the beach. Here is the showery OC forecast.

Speaking of heat, the first six months of this year in the continental U.S. turn out to have been the hottest on record - since 1895 - according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Last month was also the second-warmest June on record. Here's the release.

Sunday update: Here's Weather Channel weather blogger Stu Ostro's take on all this heat and how it relates, or doesn't, to global warming.