Suffocating heat wave to ‘engulf’ Charlotte area, NWS warns. What you should know.
A dangerous heat wave is expected to “engulf” the Charlotte region in the coming days, National Weather Service meteorologists warned Friday.
Heat index values will likely soar to 100 or 105 Tuesday and Wednesday in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, according to an alert issued just after 5 a.m. Friday by the NWS office in Greer, S.C.
All Charlotte-area counties outside the mountains should brace for stifling conditions, NWS forecasters said.
The heat index is what the temperature feels like when humidity levels and temperature are combined.
The blast of heat may feel especially intense because it would mark the first time this season that values are predicted to reach 100 or higher, NWS meteorologist Bill Martin told The Charlotte Observer.
“This is an early-season heat wave, and people may not be acclimated to it yet,” Martin said.
Blame a “strong and dry high pressure” weather system expected to settle in the region early to mid-next week, according to the NWS alert.
How to beat the heat
“The risk is really to people who don’t put their air conditioning on,” Martin said, noting that many heat-related deaths occur in homes without air conditioning turned on.
“As long as you can cool off at least once per day, that’s helpful,” he said.
If you’re outside, seek shade and drink water, Martin advised.
Charlotte forecast: Hot and more hot
Charlotte temperatures could leap to 91 Sunday, 98 Monday, 100 Tuesday and 99 Wednesday, according to the NWS Charlotte forecast at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Thursday’s high could “drop” to 95, Friday’s to 94 and Saturday’s to 92, the forecast shows.
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 2:23 PM.