Philly blasted with fourth heatwave of summer

Philadelphia marked its fourth official heat wave of the summer Monday as temperatures surpassed 90 degrees for the third straight day in a row, but forecasters predict this blast of heat to be short-lived.

A hot weekend bled into the work week, with a high of 93 degrees on Monday. That heat was expected to continue through Tuesday, and finally break on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Until then, high temperatures and dew points were expected to cause uncomfortable humidity.

Tuesday was expected to be mostly sunny, with highs in the low to mid 90s, according to the NWS. On Wednesday, thunderstorms were due to roll in later in the day, bringing heavy rain. Highs are forecast in the upper 80s to low 90s. The chance of showers and thunderstorms continues through the rest of the week, but temperatuers will drop a bit — into the mid and upper 80s. 

A code orange air quality alert went into effect throughout the Philly region Monday, meaning air pollution combined with heat and humidity could cause unhealthy air for children, the elderly, and people suffering from certain health conditions like asthma or heart disease. These people should stay inside, if possible, and avoid strenuous outdoor activity anytime an air quality alert is in place. 

Scorching heat has already claimed one life in Philadelphia. On July 20, a 70-year-old man died in West Philadelphia due to the hot weather, officials said. It was the first heat-related death of the year. According to ready.gov, extreme heat is to blame for the most weather-hazard deaths, annually.