‘Dangerous’ heat wave forecast for Father’s Day weekend
It’s time to break out the flip-flops, fans and cool beverages, as some of the hottest weather of the season so far will scorch areas from the Midwest to the Northeast this Father’s Day weekend and into early next week.
Blistering heat is forecast to bake much of the U.S. with widespread temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s as far north as Wisconsin.
It will feel like the middle of summer in Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City, AccuWeather said.
“Heat of this magnitude is not uncommon for this part of the season, but intense June sunshine can make it feel worse than a similar hot and humid spell in August or September when the sun is weaker,” AccuWeather meteorologist Bob Larson said.
Heat advisories and warnings have been posted in Chicago and St. Louis. The National Weather Service in St. Louis called it a “dangerous combination of maximum temperatures in the 90s and high humidity.”
The combination “will likely lead to an increased risk of heat-related stress and illness,” the weather service said. “The very young, the elderly, those without air conditioning, and those participating in strenuous outdoor activities will be the most susceptible.”
The weather service in Chicago said that “low temperatures Saturday and Sunday night could struggle to drop below 80 degrees with heat indices likely remaining in the 90s through the evening and possibly into the early part of the overnight hours.”
A heat wave in Chicago in 1995 killed more than 700 people, and since then, the city has been especially vigilant.
While Sunday, Father’s Day, looks to be the hottest day in the central U.S., Monday should be a record-breaker for portions of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, according to weather.us meteorologist Ryan Maue. He said highs should hit around 95 degrees along the Interstate 95 corridor.
Cooler air will sweep southeastward across the Midwest and Northeast during Monday night and Tuesday, AccuWeather said.