Rowan weather: If the heat doesn’t get you, the bad air will

Published 7:52 am Monday, June 18, 2018

With a heat wave upon us, we’ll also be dealing with poor air quality.

Today, Tuesday and Wednesday will be Code Orange air quality action days, with ozone being the biggest problem. The alert is in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, active adults and people with heart and respiratory disease.

Open burning is prohibited on air quality action days.

With temperatures in the mid to upper 90s, the heat index will be 100-102 today, going up to 105 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Check on the elderly to make sure they have at least a fan to help them in the heat. In some cases, people will need to be brought into air conditioning.

Pets also suffer in this heat — concrete pavement can reach temperatures around 140 degrees in this heat — enough to burn paws.

Today will be sunny and 95, with light west wind. Tonight will be clear and 73, with light southwest wind.

Tuesday’s high will be 97, with plenty of sun and not much wind from the west. Heat index values could approach 103 degrees. A 20 percent chance of showers and storms is possible before 9 p.m., then the low will be 74.

Wednesday will be mostly sunny and 96, with a 30 percent chance of showers and storms after 5 p.m. Calm wind will be from the west at 5-7 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday’s low will be 73 with a 30 percent chance of showers and storms.

Thursday will be partly sunny and 95, with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. The same chance of rain lasts through Thursday night into Friday. The low Thursday will be 72.

Friday has a 40 percent chance of showers after noon. It will be mostly cloudy and 90. The chance of showers Friday night is 60 percent, with a low of 71.

Saturday will be mostly cloudy and 90, with a 40 percent chance of showers and storms. The chance of rain reduces to 30 percent Saturday night, with a low of 72.

Sunday will be mostly sunny and 93, with a 30 percent chance of showers and storms.

Any showers will be spotty, with no widespread coverage until Friday night. The air is unstable, but the heat can evaporate rain before it reaches the ground.