Erie's first heat wave of 2024 arrives Monday. Will it break any records?
Erie County's summer will begin in the midst of the year's first heat wave, with temperatures soaring to near 90 along the lakeshore and perhaps reaching the mid-90s in the southern parts of the county.
Temperatures will start to rise Monday as a high pressure system pushes out a cold front over the weekend, said Raelene Campbell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Cleveland office.
"It's also going to be a longer weather event, with temperatures definitely reaching the upper 80s and perhaps getting near 90, 91 along the lakeshore through Friday," Campbell said.
No rain is forecast for Erie through Friday.
The Lake Erie water temperature (68 degrees as of Friday morning) will keep northern Erie County cooler than places like Edinboro, Union City and Corry. Campbell said highs in those areas could reach 94 Tuesday, 93 Wednesday and 92 Thursday.
Summer officially arrives in Erie on Thursday at 4:50 p.m.
It will be hot, but maybe not record-setting hot
An excessive heat watch has been issued for Erie County through Friday at 8 p.m. Here is a list of Erie's record-high temperatures for June 17-20, followed by the expected highs at Erie International Airport as forecast by the National Weather Service:
June 17 (Monday) — 90 (set in 2018), 91
June 18 (Tuesday) — 92 (2018), 90
June 19 (Wednesday) — 92 (1931), 90
June 20 (Thursday) — 92 (2016), 90
June 21 (Friday) — 95 (1933), 87
Not only will the temperatures rise to around 90, the heat index — what the temperature feels like to the body — will reach the mid-90s along the lakeshore Tuesday and approach 100 in southern Erie County.
Take frequent breaks and wear sunscreen when outdoors
These also will be among the longest days of the year, with more than 15 hours and 15 minutes of daylight each day next week. So people need to stay hydrated and use plenty of sunscreen when going outdoors, Campbell said.
"Have a cool place to take breaks if you are working outside," Campbell said. "Prolonged heat can take a toll of people more than they realize."
The heat wave is expected to break next weekend, though high temperatures will remain above 80 at the airport.
Contact David Bruce at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNBruce.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Heat wave arrives in Erie on Monday: National Weather Service