Pittsburgh area braces for longest heat wave in years
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The heat finally arrives on Monday for the Pittsburgh area. Highs on Monday should hit around 93 degrees.
Around 1 p.m., Pittsburgh hit 91 degrees, making it the hottest day of 2024. It's also the first 90-plus day of the year.
🥵 We just became the hottest day of 2024! This is also our first 90⁰+ day of the year. This gives us a starting point for the probable heat wave... The next two days need to be in the 90s to make it official. pic.twitter.com/SFpSA1eadQ
— Ray Petelin (@RayPetelinWx) June 17, 2024
Not only will it be hot, but humidity levels are also on the rise.
There's also a chance for rain on Monday, but if you see any rain, it will be brief. It may actually feel hotter, or at least more uncomfortable after it rains due to added moisture in the atmosphere.
Highs in the 90s are expected all week long. The hottest stretch of weather will occur from Thursday to Friday with highs each day forecast to be at least at 96 degrees.
Heat index numbers will be well into triple digits and may even hit 110 degrees. At this time, the Pittsburgh National Weather Service has gone with a heat advisory through Friday. This may be upgraded later this week. The criteria for a heat advisory is forecast heat index values of 100 degrees and 104 degrees.
We look to be just shy of that for today but we should easily hit it tomorrow. Heat index numbers are around 110 degrees Thursday through Saturday, which should be the hottest stretch of the week.
Looking at the climatology behind these numbers, one could argue that just hitting the 90s in June is fairly rare here in Pittsburgh.
Over the past 30 years, from 1990 to 2020, we have averaged just two June 90-degree days per year. We can expect to see four in July and three in August. Overall, we have averaged 10 90-degree days each year. The last time we saw a June heat advisory was in 2022.
Since 2006, we have only had five days in June when a heat advisory was issued. We will see five days in a row right now with some type of advisory or warning due to heat. This is rare air indeed.