It’s official: 6th heat wave is under way

The Philadelphia area is now in the midst of its sixth heat wave of the season.

The National Weather Service recorded a temperature of 91 degrees before noon Friday at the Philadelphia International Airport. It reached 96 just before 4 p.m.

A heat wave is three days in a row of temperatures of 90 and above.

The highs Wednesday and Thursday were 93 and 91, respectively.

Officials issued an excessive heat warning Friday afternoon until 8 p.m. Saturday as a warm front moves into the region from the south.

Temperatures are projected to hit 100 Saturday which, combined with uncomfortably high humidity, will generate heat index values of up to 110 degrees in Center City, said NWS meteorologist Larry Nierenberg.

Across the country, heat is known to cause more deaths each year than all other natural disasters combined, said a spokesman for the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. To combat heat-related deaths and help residents stay safe, PCA staffers will operate a telephone Heatline at 215-765-9040 to offer tips on dealing with the heat and detecting signs of heat stress. The Heatline will remain open until midnight Friday and reopen Saturday at 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Officials are advising residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and in air conditioned rooms, if possible, and to check on elderly neighbors and relatives.

It will be miserably warm Friday and Saturday night with lows around 80.

Sunday will be cooler, with highs in the mid-90s. The region will get a bit of a break on Monday with highs in the upper 80s with lower humidity, Nierenberg said.

There have been 16 days with highs of 90 or higher this month, including two 100-plus days.