Dangerous, excessive heat expected throughout Delaware until 8 p.m.: Weather report

Patricia Talorico, Delaware News Journal
Updated ·3 min read

Sweltering temperatures and dangerous, excessive heat on Saturday are canceling events and causing power outages throughout the state.

An excessive heat warning in all three counties is in effect until 8 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 110 are expected throughout the day.

The worst humid conditions Saturday are expected along and southeast of the I-95 corridor, the weather service reports. Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m., are expected Saturday.

Hot weather and clear skies brought thousands of visitors to Rehoboth Beach on Saturday, June 27, 2020. Social distancing did not appear to be followed very strictly on either the beach or boardwalk, with mask usage also not ubiquitous.
Hot weather and clear skies brought thousands of visitors to Rehoboth Beach on Saturday, June 27, 2020. Social distancing did not appear to be followed very strictly on either the beach or boardwalk, with mask usage also not ubiquitous.

Caution should be taken when venturing outside. Heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events.

Temperatures Saturday are expected to reach around 95 degrees and possibly slightly higher. The mercury already hit 91 degrees by 11:45 a.m. at both the Wilmington Airport and Dover Air Force Base and 90 degrees at the Georgetown Airport.

Delaware Park in Stanton canceled Saturday's thoroughbred racing due to excessive heat. Saturday's live racing has been rescheduled for Monday afternoon.

The Bear Public Library at 101 Governor’s Place closed on Saturday and canceled all of its events at the site due to high temperatures in the building after the air-conditioning stopped working.

In the past 72 hours, New Castle County has reported 31 outages affecting 227,937 customers. Kent County has had 70 power outages affecting about 50,186 customers and Sussex County outages have affected 169,978 customers.

New Castle County's extended forecast

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected Saturday, mainly after 2 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 107. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7 p.m. are expected Saturday night. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday should be mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Partly sunny skies are expected Monday, with a high near 91. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m.

Kent County's extended forecast

Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m., are expected Saturday. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values could be as high as 105. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected before 4 a.m., then isolated showers. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. Partly sunny, with a high near 91 is likely Sunday, and temperatures could drop to a low around 73 by Sunday night. Monday should be partly sunny, with a high near 89.

Sussex County's extended forecast

Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Saturday. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly sunny, with a high near 96. Heat index values as high as 110. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected Saturday night into Sunday morning mainly before 4 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy Saturday night, with a low around 76.

Isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected Sunday, and some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon. A slight chance of showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Monday should be partly sunny, with a high near 90.

National Weather Service tips to deal with the heat

  • Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors.

  • Take extra precautions when outside.

  • Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing.

  • Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening.

  • Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Dangerous heat in Delaware cancels events, causes power outages