Gak! More of the same, only worse
This late-spring heat wave is only getting worse today. The forecast high of 100 degrees at BWI is two degrees hotter than the record of 98 degrees, set 75 years ago today, in 1933.
Downtown temperatures will be even hotter. It's already 95 degrees here at The Sun's weather station at Calvert & Centre streets. The heat index reading - which factors in the 75-degree dew point and its effect on evaporative cooling from the skin - is 108 degrees as I write this just after 11 a.m. And the peak heating probably won't occur until 3 or 4 p.m.
Heat advisories continue throughout the region, extended until 8 p.m. tomorrow. Here's AccuWeather.com's take on the heat wave. And here are some other high readings from yesterday's heat across the region.
Oh, man. This is brutal. But it's certainly not unheard of. There are seven dates in June with record highs of 100 degrees or higher for Baltimore. The highest was 105 degrees, reached on June 29, 1934. We touched 101 degrees twice, on June 5, 1925, and June 15, 1994 - not all that long ago.
Blame, once again, falls on the big high-pressure system sitting over the mid-Atlantic states. Clear skies and a clockwise circulation that's pumping hot, humid air our way from the south and west, are combining to put us in the steam bath. The sun, less than two weeks short of the summer solstice, is nearly as high and strong as it ever gets here. So being outdoors is a bad idea no matter how you cut it. That's Lindsay MacCuaig, of Baltimore, ignoring such advice in the photo above. The Sun's Algerina Perna shot the picture.
Fortunately, that high can't stick here forever. Forecasters expect that it will continue to drift eastward, allowing our next not-so-hot front to move in tomorrow. That won't provide much heat relief right away. The forecast high for Tuesday is still 97 degrees. But it will bring increased chances for showers and thunderstorms by Tuesday afternoon and evening. And Wednesday should be cooler, with highs in the mid- to upper-80s for the rest of the week and right through the weekend. That's still 5 degrees or so above the long-term averages for the date.
Hang in there, Baltimore.
Comments
I am in Bowie right now, and according to weather underground it is currently 102.7 with a heat index of 119!
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=20715
Posted by: Sam | June 9, 2008 1:17 PM
Yup. Plenty hot out there. It's 98 here at The Sun, and the heat index is 112. Inside, fortunately, it's a steady 76 degrees, 43 percent humidity. But I'd hate to be paying the BGE bill.
Posted by: frank roylance | June 9, 2008 1:38 PM
Hi Frank,
I did not make it to mid June before turning on the AC. I gave in finally Friday.
I don't even want to see what my bill is going to be. I have 95 degrees at 2:00pm from my partially shaded Bolton Hill weather station on my back deck.
Had some city workers outside today doing some sidewalk repairs and I really had to quit complaining after considering how bad it could be.
Posted by: F Smith | June 9, 2008 1:56 PM
It is now 104.3 according to wunderground for 20715 (though the temp is measured at a station in Odenton).
The heat index is currently 120, the highest I have seen today!
http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KMDODENT2
Posted by: Sam | June 9, 2008 3:27 PM
I turned off the heat in mid-march and didn't turn on the A/C until Friday night. I was reading and the only thing moving on me was my eyes, and i was still sweating. Turned on the a/c to 70 for an hour or so to cool the house and then turned it up to 80 to maintain. Luckily, even though I live downtown, I have a big tree in front of my house which faces south. Stay cool!
FR: Yeah, we caved Friday night, too. And boy did it feel nice! Worth every penny.
Posted by: Fairfax | June 9, 2008 4:07 PM
Temps just touched 100 here at The Sun's weather station. They're "only" getting 94 out at BWI, despite the dire (99-100-degree) forecast earlier today. One more day of this junk.
Posted by: frank roylance | June 9, 2008 4:50 PM
I've used the work GAK for decades... I've mentioned your usage here:
http://baltimore21201.typepad.com/baltimore21201com/2008/06/100-degree-days.html
Stephen
Posted by: brockelman | June 9, 2008 8:51 PM