Heat Index Forecast to Exceed 100 Degrees This Weekend

| July 17, 2019


VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) – The heat index is forecast to surpass 100 degrees in Venango County and surrounding areas this weekend.

High temperatures in the area are forecast in the 80s on Wednesday and Thursday but then are expected to rise into the 90s on Friday.

Factoring in humidity, which is forecast to rise over the course of the week, it’s expected to feel like 105 degrees during the day on Friday and Saturday before cooling back into the 80s on Sunday.

According to Matthew Kramar, of the National Weather Service Pittsburgh, the heat index is based on a combination of the actual temperature, the humidity, and the wind.

“The more humidity in the air and the less wind, the more stagnant the air gets, and the higher the temperature feels,” Kramar said.

“While the body is capable of cooling down by sweating, the sweat needs to evaporate to cool you, and when the air is humid and there is very little wind, it’s not as effective and people can overheat more easily.”

A Hazardous Weather Outlook has been issued for most of the region, including Mercer, Venango, Lawrence, Butler, Clarion, Beaver, Allegheny, Armstrong, Washington, Greene, Westmoreland, and Fayette Counties for Thursday through Monday, warning that heavy downpours will most likely accompany the remnants of Barry on Wednesday, leading to localized flooding, and heat indices above 100 are likely on Friday and Saturday afternoons.

“We are calling for apparent temperatures of over 100 degrees through pretty much all of Venango and Clarion Counties, and a large portion of Forest and Jefferson Counties by Friday afternoon,” Kramer said.

According to Kramar, there may be some potential relief in the fact that there remains a slight chance of some showers and storms on Friday, which could keep the temperature from rising as high as is currently expected.

However, the danger of the high heat index remains more likely. Kramer noted that if the temperatures do rise as high as they are currently forecast, with the high humidity and low wind factor, people in the region should take precautions to prevent overheating.

“Try to avoid outdoor work for prolonged periods of time, drink a lot of water, and take regular breaks, preferably in an air-conditioned structure. Just try to avoid overheating.”


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