Beating the heat just got harder for Western Pennsylvanians, as the heat dome hovering over the region is now expected to stick around through Saturday evening.
The Pittsburgh office of the National Weather Service announced Wednesday that the excessive heat warning is being extended at least one more day and will last until 8 p.m. Saturday.
The warning initially was to be lifted by Friday evening.
Lee Hendricks, meteorologist at the Pittsburgh office of the National Weather Service, said a massive high-pressure system is hanging over much of the East Coast and Midwest for an extended period of time and is showing few signs of dissipating.
“Unfortunately, the high temperatures are going to persist with us through mid-Saturday,” Hendricks said. “The severity is not increasing, but the persistence is going to be there.”
The Excessive Heat Warning and Heat Advisories currently in effect have been extended a day until 8PM Saturday. WPC HeatRisk maps can be found at https://t.co/nH3fIcNnhl pic.twitter.com/DaDL8XATtt
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) June 19, 2024
Hendricks said it’s not clear if the heat warning will be extended beyond Saturday. Temperatures are expected to reach into the mid-90s the next few days, Hendricks said. Pittsburgh could tie or break heat records Thursday and Friday. Both days hold record highs of 95 degrees.
“It is possible we might at least tie a record,” he said.
The National Weather Service said during the warning that heat-related illness is possible, particularly for those outdoors and without air conditioning. Power outages also could continue, and isolated storms hitting the regions and damaging infrastructure are possible through Saturday.
The forecast calls for temperatures to cool a bit Sunday, with highs in the upper 80s. Monday should see a significant cooldown, with a high of 80 degrees, Hendricks said.
Hendricks said next week will see a marginal cooldown, but it still will have temperatures above normal. Next week’s forecast has highs in the upper 80s.
“Compared to this week though, it will feel like a reprieve,” he said.
He said an active La Nina weather system is starting, which is causing above-average temperatures across the eastern U.S.
Hendricks added that the La Nina system likely will cause increased tropical storm activity and an increased chance of hurricanes through the summer that could impact Pittsburgh.
He said forecasts show an 85% chance of higher-than-normal tropical storm activity through August.
