Heat Advisory: How High And How Long It Will Last

Saturday July 23 – A Heat Advisory is in effect for central Maryland, contrasted with an Excessive Heat Warning for metro Philadelphia and northern Delmarva. The short version of this is that it will be so hot it will be dangerous. Once the actual temperate and the heat index gets near and above 100°F, its above healthy human body temperature and difficult to cool off. I don’t want to get stuck in the details or insult your intelligence.  You know to do your best to stay cool and drink plenty of water if outside. If you have not done your work out outside yet, you might want to do it inside now. Temps should reach the 90s by noon!  This is what I think  are the few questions that likely come to mind:

• How hot will it get?
• How hot will it feel?
• How does this compare to ‘normal’?
• How long will this last?

Before getting to the first two questions, I want to offer this suggestion: Temperature on the thermometer is just academic at this point. Your car will register more heat off the roads. The local back will often measure too hot as well.  The temperate can vary quite a bit from the airport to your house, and in the sun vs the shade… or by the water.

What should it normally be? Today’s stats for Baltimore = high of 87°F and a record of 102°F in 2011. The last time we hit triple digits was July 18th, 2012. So it’s been four years, which is close to how frequently we reach that mark.

Other records:

• July 24: 101°F in 2010
• July 25: 100°F in 2010
• July 26: 101°Fin 1940
• July 27: 101°F in 1940

*I think we will stay just below these marks… but it will feel like it!

Now… Here are the temperature spreads across the models. First the maps and charts… the

NAM Model Temp and Heat Index