Dangerous Heat, Thunderstorms Possible All Weekend in Hamden

It’s hard to keep track of all the different advisories issued by the National Weather Service this weekend for Connecticut.

There’s the seemingly almost-daily Hazardous Weather Outlook, Heat Advisory, Air Quality Alert, and even an Excessive Heat Watch for parts of the state.

What this all adds up to is, it’s going to be hot, likely dangerously hot if you’re outdoors for prolonged periods of time. There will also be several chances for fast-moving thunderstorms that pop out of nowhere beginning today and continuing through the weekend. Some of the storms could be strong to severe, the National Weather Service predicts.

In Hamden, Mayor Curt Balzano Leng reminds residents that all public buildings, including libraries and fire stations, are air-conditioned and open to the public as "cooling stations" during regular business hours, with some locations open on weekends and through the evenings. For a complete list of the town's cooling stations, click here.

The chance for storms is approximately 50 percent for the entire state of Connecticut today through Sunday night. And there’s a 100-percent chance that it’s going to feel hotter than 100 degrees the entire weekend, too.

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Here’s the latest National Weather Service forecast for the area:

• Friday: Showers and thunderstorms are expected any time after noon in southern Connecticut and in the late afternoon in Hartford and Tolland counties. The chances for storms are around 50 percent. Temps in the mid 90s for the state and the heat index will approach 105 degrees today. There will be periods of sun, too. Some heavy rain is expected when and if storms move through.
• Friday night: Showers and storms are expected to end by midnight.
• Saturday: Almost a carbon copy of Friday’s forecast. Temps in the mid 90s, heat index approaching 110 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms possible in the afternoon and evening hours. Storms are expected after 2 p.m. in southern Connecticut and 4 p.m. in northern Connecticut. Heavy rain is expected with the storms.
• Sunday: Again temps in the low 90s with a heat index near 100 degrees. Also, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening hours once again. Skies will be partly sunny in southern Connecticut but mostly cloudy in northern Connecticut. Chance of showers and storms continues Sunday night, too.

By Brian McCready