WOAY-TV (Oak Hill, WV): Following a pleasant midweek, not only will the mercury skyrocket, but heat indices will reach the danger category.
RAIN: A thunderstorm is possible late Friday afternoon, best chance north of I-64, between 5-9 p.m., otherwise dry weather is expected. Be sure to water the garden early in the morning or in the evening to keep flowers from withering in the heat.
HEAT INDEX RECORDS: Meteorologists often diagnose heat waves by analyzing where high pressure develops in the jet stream. Next week’s heat ridge could rival late June 2012. Expect Heat Advisories and Excessive Heat Warnings west of our region along I-79 and east of the Greenbrier Valley for Monday and Tuesday, June 17-18.
Below are the heat indices from that hot spell:
Beckley: Heat index hit 97.7 degrees on June 29, 2012, which ranked as the highest heat index on record for the Beckley-Memorial Airport.
Bluefield: Fifth highest heat index on record was June 29, 2012 at 98.2 degrees.
Lewisburg: The seventh highest heat index on record occurred June 29, 2012 at 99.8 degrees.
FIRST HEAT WAVE OF THE SEASON IS THE MOST TAXING: Check on the elderly, keep pets inside as much as possible, NEVER leave a child unattended in a vehicle and if you don’t have air conditioning but have ceiling fan blades turn counterclockwise to push cool air downward. Stay out of the sun as much as possible between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and exercise in the morning or evening.
