Maryland Sizzles: First Heat Wave of 2024 to Turn Up the Heat

By Pikesville Patch
Posted on 06/17/24 | News Source: Pikesville Patch

Baltimore, MD - June 17, 2024  - Summer is greeting Maryland with a bang. The year's first heat wave is expected to hit the state Monday.

A heat wave is defined in the northeast as at least three days with a high temperature of at least 90 degrees Fahrenheit, Accuweather reported. Meteorologists expect highs of 90 degrees and up for at least the next seven days in Maryland.

"The increased demand for cooling is going to be a problem here. This could have some impacts on the power grid," AccuWeather Chief Video Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.

The heat often brings evening thunderstorms in Maryland, but the National Weather Service is calling for a fairly dry week as of now.

The scorcher could threaten daily records in Maryland, but forecasters don't currently expect record-breaking temperatures.

Here is the forecasted high each day at Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport. The number in parentheses is the record high temperature for that day and the year the last time the record was hit.

The combination of hot weather and high humidity from Tuesday afternoon to at least Sunday afternoon could result in heat indices above 100 degrees, according to NWS.

"At least 135 million people across the eastern United States and parts of eastern Canada will experience a heat wave this week," according to AccuWeather's forecast. "The peak of the heat wave for most of this zone is expected around the same time as the start of astronomical summer, which takes place on Thursday, June 20, at 4:50 p.m. EDT."

NWS shared the following precautionary information on how to prepare for a heat wave:

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Here's the National Weather Service's seven-day forecast at BWI Airport:

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. South wind around 11 mph.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. South wind 7 to 11 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 9 mph.

Juneteenth: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Southeast wind 5 to 9 mph.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 96.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.

Saturday: Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.

Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Chance of precipitation is 30%.