What to Know
- Intense heat continues to grip the entire Philadelphia region.
- A First Alert was in effect through Monday at 8 p.m. as temps felt like the triple digits.
- Full relief from the heat isn't really likely until later in the week as the heat wave is expected to continue through at least Thursday.
Temperatures felt like the triple digits as an intense heat wave gripped the region with dangerous conditions.
The NBC10 First Alert Weather Team issued a First Alert through Monday night at 8 for all Philadelphia region neighborhoods and the Jersey Shore beaches. Temperatures felt up to 105 on Monday with higher humidity than Sunday.
The heat was especially intense in Philadelphia and other urban areas like Trenton and Wilmington where, with temps not really dropping out of the 80s overnight, the urban heat island effect (where concrete, asphalt and buildings remain hotter) can be really rough on the body.
Amid the heat, Philadelphia declared its first Heat Emergency of summer for Monday. Philadelphia and other municipalities would open cooling centers as they look to give people a respite from the heat.
Be sure to stay inside a safe place in air conditioning and open windows and use fans if you don't have A/C in your home. If you're using a fan, the EPA warns that windows or a door should be open to the outside; otherwise, you're just recirculating hot air, which is more dangerous.
You should watch for signs of heat-related illness, which include headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue and excessive sweating.
Stay hydrated, too. During a heat health emergency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you drink water even when you're not thirsty.
Don't forget to check in on the vulnerable, including kids and the elderly. The city's heat health emergency kicks in Monday, meaning the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging will activate its helpline, which is staffed by health care professionals and can deploy a relief team to go check on an individual. The line's number is 215-765-9040.
Ahead of the intense heat, the Pennsylvania Department of Health released some heat tips including wearing sunscreen if outside, checking in on older family members and friends and not leaving children or pets in hot vehicles.
With the coronavirus pandemic, people who do seek relief at pools, beaches or other public places like malls are encouraged to practice social distancing and expect to be required to wear masks if not in the water.
And, AAA Mid-Atlantic is warning people to not check the back seat for pets and children when parking in this extreme heat. Their three-step "ACT" system could keep people safe in cars.
With all of the humidity, don’t expect a lot of relief Monday night. Humidity is lower on Tuesday as feels-like temps only get into the upper 90s.
Any relief would be from isolated strong to severe storms, but not everywhere gets one. Real relief looks like late in the week as highs are finally not expected to break 90 on Friday.
The First Alert Weather Team will continue to update you on the heat and provide tips for staying cool and safe on NBC10 News and in the NBC10 app.
