Heat Wave Arrives in D.C. Region

Temps will be near record levels later in the week.

We've had a fairly pleasant June -- but that's over, at least for now. A heat wave started today, with temperatures near record levels expected later in the week.

A heat advisory has been issued from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday for the D.C. area.  Temperatures are expected to reach the mid- to upper 90s, with heat indexes between 100 and 105.

The record for June 20 was 99 degrees at National Airport, set in 1931, and the record for June 21 was 98 set in 1988. We should be at or close to those levels Wednesday and Thursday.

The high for Tuesday, at least, should be "only" in the upper 80s.

And since our bodies aren't used to the heat, it may seem even hotter, and be more dangerous.

The first heat wave of a season tends to carry an increased risk of heat exhaustion or heatstroke, said Storm4 meteorologist Tom Kierein. Heat is the No. 1 weather killer, so follow all the usual precautions: Stay inside as much as possible, don't overexert yourself and drink plenty of water.

Although high heat is more common in July and August, last June we had two record highs, said Kierein. We tied the record on June 9, 2011, with a morale-melting 102 degrees.


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