Bucks County temperatures could top 100 degrees this week. Heat wave starts Monday
Bucks County is heating up with the rest of the region as the forecast calls for our first heat wave of the year. And settle in, it could be a long one.
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory from 10 a.m. Tuesday through 6 a.m. Wednesday. That's the good news. Starting Wednesday, temperatures will inch higher into the 90s and Bucks County will be under an excessive heat watch through Saturday night, according to weather service alerts.
"The longevity of dangerous heat forecasted for some locations has not been experienced in decades," the weather service reported.
What's it mean? It's going to be extremely hot, uncomfortable and dangerous for vulnerable people like the elderly and sick. Forecasters are urging caution and asking residents to prepare.
Temperatures will start Monday at a high of 90 degrees. By Friday, Bucks County could see temps top out at 102 degrees, according to the weather service.
Under the heat advisory, Bucks County could see heat index, or the feel-like temperature, go up to 100 degrees.
The excessive heat watch was issued as the National Weather Service expects "dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 106 possible."
The weather will grip the Delaware Valley region from "portions of northern Delaware, New Jersey, and southeast Pennsylvania," including Bucks and Montgomery counties and Philadelphia.
With the heat in the 90s and the index topping 100 degrees, and high humidity, heat-related illnesses increase significantly. Bucks County residents need to find places to cool off, stay out of the direct sun and hydrate, officials say.
Forecast for Bucks County during excessive heat watch
Monday will see a high of 90 degrees, while Tuesday and Wednesday could see highs of 96 degrees. By Thursday, it will be 98 degrees and Friday could hit a record 102 degrees.
Saturday remains hot with a forecast of 100 degrees, and Sunday provides little relief with 95 degrees predicted.
Night time temperatures will cools to the high 60s and the low 70s.
Heat indexes each day will be 100 degrees or higher, according to the National Weather Service.
The sun will be bright most days and there is very little cloud coverage expected.
Friday and Saturday's forecasts will come close to breaking records in the Philadelphia area. Friday is anticipated to be around 100 degrees, breaking the 99-degree record, and Saturday is forecasted to be 99 degrees, just shy of Philadelphia's record of 100 degrees.
Cooling centers in Bucks County
Bensalem Senior Citizens Association, 1850 Byberry Road, Bensalem
Bristol Borough Senior Center, 301 Wood St., Bristol
Bristol Township Senior Center, 2501 Bath Road, Bristol Township
Morrisville Senior Service Center, 31 E. Cleveland Ave., Morrisville
Riegelsville Borough Hall, 615 Easton Road, Riegelsville
YMCA of Bucks County–Warminster Branch, 624 York Road, Warminster
What is a heat wave?
The term "heat wave" means different things to different people, and depends on geography, Joe DiSilva, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service said.
"The 'heat wave' definition varies on where you are," DeSilva said. "But across the mid-Atlantic region, a heat wave is any three-day stretch of 90-degree weather or hotter.
"This will certainly be the first heat wave of the year."
What is the difference between a heat advisory and a heat warning?
There are several heat notices that can be issued, according to Ready PA's extreme heat guide.
"An excessive heat watch is when conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event to meet or exceed local excessive heat warning criteria in the next 24 to 72 hours," read a portion of Ready PA's heat guide. "A Heat Advisory is for when heat index values are forecast to meet locally-defined advisory criteria for one to two days (daytime highs = 100-105 degrees Fahrenheit).
"For an excessive heat warning, the heat index values are forecast to meet or exceed locally-defined warning criteria for at least two days (daytime highs = 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit)."
What is the heat index?
The heat index is what "the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature," according to the National Weather Service. The combined reading of temperature and humidity is a better estimate of how the human body is feeling the heat.
"When the body gets too hot, it begins to perspire or sweat to cool itself off. If the perspiration is not able to evaporate, the body cannot regulate its temperature. Evaporation is a cooling process ... When the atmospheric moisture content (i.e. relative humidity) is high, the rate of evaporation from the body decreases. In other words, the human body feels warmer in humid conditions," according to the weather service.
Tips on staying cool, safe through a heat wave
FEMA suggests using low-cost methods to keep your house cooler; cooling off in water; checking in with family and loved ones; recognizing the signs of heat-related sicknesses; and finding alternate places to cool down.
To that end, Bucks County Administration customarily opens six cooling centers when a heat advisory is called.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County weather forecast heat wave through week. How hot is it?
