96 degrees downtown at 10 a.m.
It's already 96 degrees at 10 a.m. here at The Sun's weather center at Calvert and Centre streets. The downtown forecast calls for a high Tuesday of 104 degrees.
The airport is a few degrees behind us, at 94 degrees. But with another six hours or more of heating ahead, there seems little doubt we will reach or surpass the 100-degree mark today in both places, and set a new record high for the date at BWI.
We're not likely to see any relief until Thursday, and we'll not leave the 90s until the weekend.
Here are the targets at BWI-Marshall for the next few days:
Tuesday: Forecast - 100 degrees. Record - 101 degrees, set in 1999
Wednesday: Forecast: 100 degrees. Record - 99 degrees, set in 1993
Thursday: Forecast: 91 degrees. Record - 100 degrees, set in 1993
Friday: Forecast: 93 degrees. Record - 103 degrees, set in 1936
Saturday: Forecast: 88 degrees. Record - 107 degrees, set in 1936
Sunday: Forecast: 88 degrees. Record - 100 degrees, set in 1988
Remember there are Heat Advisories posted for the region from noon Tuesday until 11 p.m. Wednesday evening. Here's the forecast for BWI-Marshall.
We can blame the heat on the large high-pressure system still parked over the eastern third of the nation. Until a cold front moves in from the west late on Friday, we won't see much relief. The front could bring us some welcome showers and thunderstorms, and can be expected to bring daytime highs closer to the average for this time of year in Baltimore.
The hottest period of the year, on average in Baltimore, runs from July 16 to 25, with a long-term average of 88 degrees. After that, the numbers begin their long, slow slide toward winter.
(SUN PHOTO/ Algerina Perna)
From the National Weather Service:
"STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE MID ATLANTIC THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...PROVIDING HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS. HIGH TEMPERATURES
BOTH TODAY AND WEDNESDAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 100 DEGREES.
THIS COMBINED WITH AN INCREASINGLY HUMID AIR MASS WILL ALLOW HEAT
INDEX VALUES TO REACH UP TO 105 DEGREES EACH AFTERNOON.
"TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL ONLY DROP TO AROUND 80 DEGREES IN
DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON AND BALTIMORE...AND INTO THE 70S ACROSS THE
REMAINDER OF MARYLAND...THE EXTREME EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA
PANHANDLE AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA IN THE HEAT ADVISORY.
"PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
"A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS
EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY
WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE
POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED
ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN...AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND
NEIGHBORS."
Comments
At noon, it was 92F in the shade here in rural Carroll County (north of Westminster at the PA line)
Posted by: Chris Smolinskl | July 6, 2010 12:32 PM
That picture is adorable!
FR: Here at The Sun, we strive for adorability.
Posted by: Amy | July 6, 2010 1:02 PM
The temperature map on the main weather page just showed Chesapeake City at 109 degrees! Can we assume something is wrong with their thermometer?
FR: Could be, but I have no idea how well designed, or well-maintained that station is. It does seem an unlikely reading.
Posted by: Larry | July 6, 2010 1:47 PM