ROANOKE, Va. – The hottest we’ve been this year naturally changes depending on where you are. Roanoke and Lynchburg have hit 93°, Southside has hit 91°, parts of the Highlands have hit 88° and the New River Valley has only gotten to 86° officially. (Keep in mind that this is not what your car thermometer or bank thermometer reads.)
While Thursday will be hot, the heat starts to dial it up a notch by Friday afternoon. Thankfully, the humidity will be reasonable and seasonable. However, there won’t be much of a breeze or any storms around to really cool things down.
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This comes, as our storm track continues to shift to the south. A little added dose of humidity may lead to a few hit-or-miss thunderstorms late Saturday afternoon into the evening. Given the heat, any storm that develops could become strong and move slowly.
Prior to any storms, it is going to get very hot on the 4th. High temperatures will likely be similar to Friday afternoon, with the NRV and Highlands around 85-90° and the rest of the area around 90-95°.
When you factor in the humidity Saturday, it will feel a little hotter at times. Estimated heat index values may reach the 100° mark in parts of Southside and get fairly close toward Lynchburg, Campbell County and Appomattox County.
It’s important to remember, especially on a holiday weekend, to take care of your body. Make sure you’re drinking a lot water, seeking shade when necessary, and that you’re wearing lightweight/light-colored clothing. That brings me to my next point.
Darker colored objects absorb heat more efficiently than lighter colors. Keep your pets’ paws and your bare feet off the blacktop and concrete, as that will be much hotter than the air.
Lastly, and this is goes without saying for most people, but never leave any living thing in a hot car. With air temperatures in the 90s, that car becomes dangerously hot within 10 to 20 minutes.
Storm chances increase Sunday into early next week, as a weak area of low pressure rides near the East Coast. Temperatures will still generally be around 85-90° each day and 65-70° each night.