GREENSBORO, N.C. — The heat has been here for several days, and it's not done with us yet. In fact, we'd better be ready to deal with it for the long haul. That's according to the WFMY News 2 weather team which is tracking out hot weather and humidity through the rest of the week.
How long will the heat last?
We're expecting temperatures in the 90s for the rest of the week. Still, there will be days that are better and worse than others.
Starting with Tuesday, the humidity will be lower a bit which will make it a bit easier for your body to cool down. The hottest day of the week will be on Wednesday with highs in the mid-90s and a heat index right around 100.
The heat will relax a little for Thursday and Friday before ramping up yet again for the weekend.
Why is it so hot?
We are in a classic summer weather pattern. Right now, we have high pressure offshore over the Atlantic Ocean. You may have heard us refer to a "Bermuda high" before. This is when the high-pressure area is located over Bermuda. It always brings us a surge of heat and humidity. That's because our winds are southerly, coming straight from the Gulf of Mexico.
Right now, the Bermuda High is in effect, and the jet stream is located very far to our north near the Canadian border. That means even when cold fronts are swinging through, the cool air is staying in the northern tier of the country and not reaching us here in the south.
This is a typical pattern for summer, and can be persistent once it sets up. That means, hunker down and get used to the heat for a little while. We'll likely be dealing with this through the 4th of July.
Keep in mind
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are real risks during a heat wave. It's important to know the difference.
The graphic below shows the different symptoms. This can help save a life if you identify this in yourself or a friend.
Staying hydrated is the best way to beat the heat, along with avoiding the hottest times of the day - typically between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
