Pittsburgh Heat Wave Arriving, Dangerous Temperatures Loom

PITTSBURGH, PA — Prepare to crank up the air conditioner and head for the swimming pool. A potentially dangerous heat wave is on the way for Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The National Weather Service is predicting a prolonged period of excessive heat beginning Sunday and continuing through next week. There could be significant heat-related impacts across the area, especially in traditionally warmer locations like valleys and urban centers beginning on Sunday.

How hot will it get? Brace yourself.

The weather service is calling for high temperatures of 90 degrees on Sunday and 97 on Monday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the temperature is expected to top out at 100, with a cool-down to 99 on Thursday.

The heat index will peak at around 105 degrees during the week. Overnight temperatures are expected to drop only into the mid-70s in metro areas in the Ohio Valley and the Northeast, offering little to no relief to those without adequate or reliable cooling.

If it's any consolation, Southwestern Pennsylvania will not be alone in experiencing oppressive heat.

According to State College-based AccuWeather, at least 110 million people across the eastern United States will experience a heat wave next week, including areas from the Mississippi Valley to southern New England.

AccuWeather says the high pressure responsible for the heat could strengthen and expand, which would put more than 135 million at risk of a dangerous heat wave.