The first heat wave of the season is descending on Charlotte and Rock Hill this weekend, with stifling temperatures expected through much of the work week, a National Weather Service meteorologist said Saturday.
“It may be a little early for a heat wave, but it’s not unusual in late June,” meteorologist Patrick Moore of the NWS office in Greer, South Carolina, told The Charlotte Observer. “But it is the first heat wave of the season, so we want to draw attention to that.”
“Take it easy,” Moore advised. “Take breaks. Drink plenty of non-alcoholic drinks if you have to be outside.”
How high temperatures can rise
Warm and humid conditions are expected Sunday through Thursday, according to an NWS hazardous weather bulletin issued Saturday morning for Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, Upstate South Carolina and the mountains.
“These hot and humid conditions will pose an increased risk of heat-related illness for those sensitive to heat and for those without access to air conditioning,” the NWS alert said. “Avoid spending extended periods of time outdoors during the hottest part of the day.
Wednesday is forecast to be the warmest day of the week, with an expected high of 98 in Charlotte, Moore said. The record high for that day, June 26, is 102 degrees, set in 1952, he said.
“All of our record highs for Charlotte at the end of June are in the low 100s,” he said.
Highs in Charlotte are expected to rise from 93 on Saturday to 95 on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and 97 on Wednesday, according to the NWS Charlotte forecast Saturday morning.
A high of 94 is forecast on Thursday and 92 on Friday in Charlotte.
Rock Hill can expect highs to rise from 93 on Saturday to 95 on Sunday, 96 on Monday and Tuesday and 98 on Wednesday. Highs are expected to drop to 94 on Thursday and 92 on Friday, according to the NWS.
Chance of rain, thunder
Skies should remain mostly sunny throughout the week, although the warmer it gets, the less stable the atmosphere becomes, Moore said.
“With the heat, the chances of afternoon showers and thunderstorms will increase, even though they are not yet in the forecast,” he said.
The greatest risk for potentially damaging storms is Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, Moore said.
How warm the weather will feel
According to the NWS Hazardous Weather Bulletin, you’ll feel like it’s 100 to 104 degrees outside all week, especially along the Interstate 77 corridor.
That’s known as the heat index value, or what it feels like when you combine temperature and humidity.
Moore said the heat index is expected to rise into the low 100s across the region on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, “not Tuesday.”
The NWS only issues heat advisories when the heat index is forecast to reach 105 or higher, he said.
