Northeast Suffers Under Oppressive Heat, Humidity

Sweaty subway stations, smelly trash and dangerous temperatures are on tap for cities across the Northeast this weekend.

A hot and humid air mass stalled over a region from Pennsylvania to Maine beginning Thursday, triggering heat advisories and excessive heat warnings — and sending sweat-drenched citizens scurrying to the safety of air conditioned office buildings.

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning — meaning heat indexes of 105 degrees or more — in Philadelphia and New York through Sunday night.

In Boston, the temperature on Friday was forecast to reach 95 degrees, with a heat index of 102 at 3 p.m. They're also battling "extreme" drought conditions just north of Boston. The temperature in the city had already hit 90 degrees 13 times this summer — with at least two more days to come.

Saturday is set to be particularly dangerous, as New York was forecast to be 95 degrees with humidity making it feel like 110 degrees. In Philadelphia, the heat index was forecast to reach 107. That city has already seen 25 days over 90 degrees and is looking at its fifth heat wave of the summer.

Cities across the region are issuing warnings to check on elderly neighbors, drink plenty of water and look for a cooling center if you have no air conditioning. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh declared the second heat emergency of the summer and opened the city's 35 Youth and Family Centers as cooling centers. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio also opened cooling centers across the five boroughs and was set to hold a press conference on the heat at noon on Friday.

"The extreme heat our city will experience in the coming days is dangerous, and can be fatal, especially for vulnerable populations like seniors and people with chronic medical conditions," said de Blasio on Thursday.

Even elite athletes were tapping out due to the heat. New York Road Runners announced it would be shortening its annual tuneup for the New York City Marathon on Sunday, shortening the run to 15 miles and closing the course at 10 a.m.

Late-afternoon thunderstorms are also the order of the day all weekend across the Northeast. Temperatures are expected to hover around 90 with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms every day in Philadelphia until next Thursday. It's no different in New York, where a flood advisory was issued late Thursday, and thunderstorms are expected Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Thunderstorms will be heaviest on Sunday, when a front rolls through the region dumping heavy rain across the Northeast. And while the humid air mass will go with it, don't get too excited. The humidity will ease slightly, but you can expect temperatures to still be in the upper 80s all next week.

Photo Credit: Guillaume David via Flickr/Creative Commons