Severe weather threat ends after storms brought rain, powerful winds to Philadelphia region
The severe weather threat in the Philadelphia region ended Thursday night after storms prompted multiple weather alerts, including a tornado warning for New Castle County in Delaware, and Delaware and Chester Counties in Pennsylvania.
The storms left behind plenty of damage in the Delaware Valley, including a tree that landed on a child in Philadelphia's East Oak Lane neighborhood.
Some lingering rain showers will move through our region on Thursday night, but nothing severe.
On Friday, summer begins. The summer solstice and official start to summer will hover in the mid-80s with sunny skies and will be the nicest day of the next seven days.
Our first heat wave of the year arrives Saturday through the middle of next week. As a reminder, three consecutive days at or above 90 is considered a heat wave.
Skies will be partly sunny to sunny, with each day hotter and more humid than the day before. By Sunday, we are looking at dangerous heat with highs in the mid-90s and overnight lows near 80. Monday and Tuesday climb between 97 and 101 with a heat index, feels-like temperature between 101 and 107. At those temperatures, heatstroke and heat exhaustion are possible.
Due to the high heat and humidity, there is a chance of isolated thunderstorms each afternoon.
For some context:
- Last year's first heat wave ran from June 18-23, and the last one hit at the end of July.
- Both topped out at 98 degrees.
- Our last 100-plus degree day? July 7, 2012, when we hit 101.
- And the longest heat wave on record? A whopping 12 days back in 1901, including two scorchers over 100.
Because of the dangerous heat, a NEXT Weather Alert is in place from Monday to Wednesday.
Here's your 7-day forecast:
Thursday: NEXT Weather Alert for p.m. storms. High 92. Low 73.
Friday: Sunny and warm. High 87. Low 67.
Saturday: Heat wave begins. High 91. Low 69.
Sunday: Hot and sticky. High 93. Low 73.
Monday: NEXT Weather Alert for extreme heat. High 98. Low 77.
Tuesday: NEXT Weather Alert for extreme heat. High 99. Low 80.
Wednesday: NEXT Weather Alert for extreme heat. High 98. Low 78.
