Temperatures will rise to high 90s in the Triangle this week. Will NC break a record?

A heat wave will settle in the Triangle this week, with temperatures rising to the high 90s just weeks before the first day of fall.

The National Weather Service in Raleigh predicts the high temperatures to last through Thursday, with the hottest days on Tuesday and Wednesday when highs could reach between 97 and 99 degrees in the Raleigh-Durham area.

Heat indexes for central North Carolina will range between 100 and 105 degrees, the NWS said. The area is under a hazardous weather outlook alert.

This week’s temperatures are some of the hottest of the summer and resemble record-setting numbers in the Raleigh-Durham area from the first week of September 1954. That year, the temperature hit 104 degrees on Sept. 6, and 97 degrees the following day, Sept. 7, according to Andrew Kren, a meteorologist at the NWS in Raleigh.

The highest temperature ever in the Raleigh area, 105 degrees, was recorded in July 2012, according to the NWS.

Kren said temperatures will start to dip on Thursday, but the change “won’t be that noticeable.” The high on Thursday will be in the 90s.

“Until we get to Friday, then we’ll have a chance of storms with a cold front approaching the area,” Kren said. “We are expecting cooler temperatures Saturday and Sunday. We’ll be in the low- to mid-80s behind that cold front, so there will be nicer weather for the weekend.”

On Friday, the Triangle will see afternoon thunderstorms and temperatures in the low 90s. The coolest day will be Sunday with a high near 85 degrees.

Temperatures in the areas of Raleigh, Greensboro and Fayetteville were above average for August, the NWS reported. In Raleigh, the hottest day of the month was Aug. 15, with a high of 100 degrees, breaking a 2007 record. The average high temperature in the area was 91 degrees.

Stay cool, hydrated in hot weather

When heading outdoors this week, Kren recommends staying hydrated and completing any outdoor activities before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

“You have to ensure to drink plenty of water. Being dehydrated can encourage heat exhaustion and heat stress on the body,” he said.

The NWS also warns against leaving children or animals in cars.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends:

• Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible to protect yourself against heat-related illness and death

• If your home is not air-conditioned, reduce your risk for heat-related illness by spending time in air-conditioned public facilities and using air conditioning in vehicles. In Wake County, multiple cooling stations will be available.

• Do not rely on a fan as a primary cooling device

• Check on friends and neighbors

• Limit the use of the stove, oven and other appliances that will make a home hotter

• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing

• Take cool showers or baths to cool down.

• Monitor friends’ and loved ones’ conditions and have someone do the same for you.

• Seek medical care right away if you or someone you know has symptoms of heat-related illness.
  
  

Adults 65 and up, toddlers, and people with chronic disease or mental illness are more susceptible to heat-related illness or heat stroke and exhaustion.

Wake County cooling stations

Wake County government announced Monday night that residents may use theselocations to beat the heat:

Tuesday, noon-5:15 p.m., and Wednesday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m.

• Wake County Health & Human Services, 220 Swinburne St., Raleigh

• Wake County Health & Human Services Center at Departure, 5809 Departure Drive, Raleigh

• Eastern Regional Center, 1002 Dogwood Drive, Zebulon

• Northern Regional Center, 350 E. Holding Ave., Wake Forest

• Southern Regional Center, 130 N Judd Parkway NE, Fuquay-Varina

• Western Health and Human Services Center, 111 James Jackson Ave., Cary

Tuesday, noon-closing time, and Wednesday-Thursday, normal operating hours

• Wake County Public Libraries locations