Western Pennsylvania under extreme heat warning as temperatures climb
The heat is on with summer now in full swing as the region experiences high temperatures this week that could tie or even break century-old records.
Temperatures reached the mid-90s Monday afternoon with similar conditions expected today while most of Western Pennsylvania was under an extreme heat warning as the heat index made it feel like it was nearly 110 degrees in cities like Pittsburgh.
“In part, it’s a little bit due to the fact the urban areas will have a little bit less of a reprieve and a little more heat,” said Jason Frazier, who is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. “Cement and roadways will trap the heat like the urban heat island effect.”
The record high temperature for June 22 is 95 degrees set in 1933, and Frazier said forecasters anticipated that number might be tied when measurements are taken Monday afternoon at Pittsburgh International Airport. A record high of 96 degrees for June 23 was set in 1882, and the region could get close to that number again today.
The hot temperatures and high dew point – coupled with air quality alerts issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection – are making for dangerous conditions to be outside.
“It’s the combination that we have in the area of air temperatures that are approaching the mid 90s. … Adding to that is the dew point temperatures in the lower 70s, so that creates a higher humidity,” Frazier said. “High temperatures and high humidity create a high heat index, which is how the body reacts to (heat) and tries to cool itself in a hotter environment.”
The hot weather didn’t deter Kenny Bloom and his helper, Jason Krcelish, as they worked Monday morning to replace the soffit of Calvin United Methodist Church’s Fellowship Hall in Brownsville. Bloom said the morning temperatures weren’t atrocious – mainly because the side of the church they were working on was mostly shaded – but he planned to quit by 3 p.m. when the heat was expected to really ramp up.
“It’s hot, but it’s not too bad,” Bloom said. “If we were in the sun, I probably wouldn’t be out here all day. But we got some shade here.”
But after spending a few minutes directly in the sun while cutting a wooden board away from the shade of the church, Bloom reconsidered the situation for a moment.
“I guess it is pretty hot,” he said.
Workers for Forever Painting in Upper St. Clair had even less shade while blacktopping a parking lot along East Maiden Street in Washington. While Marc Cataldo, Igor Lutsiv and Rence Phillips baked under the blazing sun as they repainted parking lines on the freshly sealed lot, Reggie Ward found shade under a pop-up tent as he painted the blue handicap squares in the parking spots.
“Gotta work smarter,” Ward said with a laugh.
The extreme heat warnings and air quality alerts are typically targeted to the elderly, young people and those with respiratory issues, although anyone can be affected by the hot weather, especially since the chilly and rainy spring gave little time for people’s bodies to acclimate to the summer temperatures.
“I think it just got too hot, too fast,” Washington County Public Safety Director Gerry Coleman said. “I would like to think people are enjoying this weather with all the rain we’ve had, but it’s just really hot out there.”
His department was communicating with municipalities and fire departments across Washington County to determine whether cooling stations would eventually need to be opened. But they and their neighbors in Greene and Fayette counties were mostly relying on the local senior centers that are open daily to offer a comfortable environment if needed.
“It’s on their radar,” Greene County Emergency Management Director Rich Policz said of the senior centers in Waynesburg and Carmichaels that are open weekdays. “Until we get an official request of something going wrong, we pretty much run this as normal. We hope there are no power outages and everyone uses common sense and tries to stay indoors during this period.”
Susan Griffith, who is the spokeswoman for Fayette County Emergency Management, said they had “heightened awareness” about the hot weather and were trying to offer advice and warnings to residents through Facebook and other social media channels.
“We’re kinda monitoring, keeping up with social media with different tips and what not, and encouraging people to check on their neighbors, especially if they’re elderly,” Griffith said.
The extreme heat warning is in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday for most of Western Pennsylvania, including all of Washington County and the lower elevations of Fayette County. All of Greene County and the higher elevations of Fayette County are under a heat advisory during that same time frame. The region is also under an air quality action alert, meaning people should not exert themselves outdoors unless necessary.
Beginning Wednesday, temperatures are expected to cool slightly with high temperatures in the low 90s or high 80s through the weekend.