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LENGTHY HEAT WAVE ABOUT TO END IN MAJOR EASTERN CITIES

August 5, 2002 — Portions of the East Coast from Washington, D.C., to Boston are about to experience relief from a lengthy heat wave that has brought record-breaking temperatures and violent thunderstorms to the region, according to NOAA's National Weather Service. (Click NOAA image for larger view of Washington Monument taken April 16, 2002.)

A cold front is inching towards the East Coast, and it will be accompanied by another round of potentially severe thunderstorms late Monday in cities such as New York City, Philadelphia and Washington. In these areas high temperatures have been in the mid 90s to around 100 since July 28th, with high humidity making the air temperature feel well above the century mark.

The average high temperature for this time of the year at Washington's National Airport is 86, but the past week has been anything but average. Sunday's high of 96 makes it the longest string of days reaching 95 degrees or warmer since July 1997. The temperature climbed to 100 on Friday, August 2, the first time Washington has hit 100 in three years. With the hot and humid air mass lingering over the nation's capital Monday, a high of 95 or greater will make it just the tenth time in the 130 years of record-keeping that Washington has had six or more consecutive 95 degree or hotter days.

Farther north in Philadelphia, conditions have not been any more tolerable, with a record-breaking high of 99 on August 1. New York's Central Park has also been sweltering. Temperatures there averaged 2.3 degrees F above normal for the month of
July.

The warm and humid air mass fueled severe thunderstorms over the weekend which killed three people in the Washington and New York metropolitan areas. The storms produced a phenomenal amount of cloud-to-ground lightning, with upwards of 5,000
strikes recorded in the New York City area alone.

Dewey Wallston, meteorologist at NOAA's National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington forecast office, said the heat has been noteworthy but far from the blistering summer of 1980. "That was the hottest summer in Washington, with an average temperature of 80 degrees. This summer we're running 1.6 degrees F above normal, nowhere near the 1980 record," he said. "August 2 marked the 35th day of 90 or above temperatures at National Airport, the record though is 67 days set in 1980," said Wallston.

Jim Poirier, meteorologist at the Weather Service's Philadelphia forecast office, said all eyes are on a strong cold front that promises to bring more pleasant weather into the region by the middle of this week. "We're hoping that temperatures will be down to seasonable levels by Wednesday," he said.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA’s Storm Watch

All About Heat Waves

NOAA’s Excessive Heat Outlooks

NOAA’s Mean Heat Index Forecasts

Media Contact:
Andrew Freedman, NOAA’s National Weather Service, (301) 713-0622

 

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