The heat is on as summer gets going in the D.C. region, with temperatures Sunday near triple digits. Here’s what you need to know.
A ground stop had been issued for Dulles International Airport until 4:15 p.m. due to thunderstorm patches. This marks the second such holding to take place at the airport on Sunday.
The region will be under a heat alert with highs deep into the 90s and feels-like temperatures at or above 100, which could set a few records, along with higher humidity.
It could mean “heat index values anywhere from 105 to as hot as 110 degrees,” 7News First Alert Meteorologist Mark Peña said.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has activated a Heat Alert for the District until 8 p.m. Sunday.
The sizzling hot temperatures will continue when the workweek begins, as temperatures will be near or around 100 on Monday and Tuesday.
Meteorologists believe that the cause of this stretch of high temperatures is due to a heat dome, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said happens when high-pressure atmospheric conditions trap heat over a specific area.
NOAA said this phenomenon could last “days to weeks.”
Tips on how to beat the heat
If you must be outside for any length of time, keep drinking water and stay as cool as you can. Wear light-colored clothing to reflect some of the sunlight away from you.
If you start sweating a lot, feel headachy or start experiencing muscle cramps, that can be the early stages of heat illness, which could lead to an increased heart rate, dizziness and heat stroke.
Check on your neighbors, especially the elderly, because they can be exposed to heat-related illnesses.
The Heart Alert in D.C. means that the District’s cooling centers are open. Find where they are located online here.
And the most important thing, according to Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University, is to find some air conditioning. If you don’t have air conditioning, find a mall or other large indoor place, including libraries and movie theaters, that has it.
The goal is to keep your body temperature low to combat the energy-sapping power of high heat.
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7News First Alert Forecast
SUNDAY EVENING:
Mostly sunny
Temps: 90s
Winds: South 5-10 mph
Temperature slowly dipping into the 80s this evening with partly cloudy skies.
OVERNIGHT SUNDAY:
Mostly clear
Lows: 72-80
Winds: West 5-10 mph
Temperatures will not cool off as much over the next few days due to extreme heat. The morning hours will start off very mild from the middle 70s to the low 80s.
MONDAY: HEAT ALERT
Mostly sunny, very hot
Highs: 96-100
Heat Index: 104-110
Winds: South 5-10 mph
The first day of prolonged heat in the Mid-Atlantic thanks to a heat dome weather pattern. An Extreme Heat Warning is in effect for the DC and Baltimore metro areas from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Heat index values during this time will range from 105 to 110 degrees.
TUESDAY: HEAT ALERT
Mostly sunny, very hot
Highs: 97-101
Heat Index: 105-109
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
Sizzling hot temperatures and high humidity continue across the area. Limit time outdoors during the hottest time of the day. Drink more water than usual. Wear light-colored and loose-fitted clothing.
WEDNESDAY: HEAT ALERT
Partly cloudy and hot
Highs: 94-99
Heat Index: 101-105
Winds: Northwest 5 mph
Temperatures remain high near 100 degrees, but some areas may see a decrease in high temperatures to the upper 90s. Once again, limit time outdoors during the hottest time of the day. Drink more water than usual. Wear light-colored and loose-fitted clothing.
THURSDAY: HEAT ALERT
Sunny and Hot
Highs: 93-97
Heat Index: 99-102
Winds: Northwest 5 mph
Temperatures begin to come down a few degrees as storm chances increase to 30% during the afternoon and evening. Widespread severe weather is not expected at this time.
CURRENT CONDITIONS
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