August today; fireworks tomorrow
It hit 92, but the heat may end with a bang.
At 3:34 p.m. the official temperature at Philadelphia International Airport reached 92, making this the warmest day since Aug. 21, 2009, when it went up to 95.
Today's high fell well short of the record, 96, set way back in 1880, but a couple of forecasts suggest today's heat may foreshadow what could be quite a warm summer. See "Hot Appetizer?" below.
In any event, the hot spell will be short-lived. A front will approach tomorrow, and clouds may keep the temperature from reaching 90.
Later in the day, strong thunderstorms are possible, and the Storm Prediction Center has placed the entire region in the "slight risk" zone for severe weather.
The National Weather Service says the storms could wring out a half-inch to an inch of rain before they end Friday.
From there, the weekend should be gorgeous all the way through Memorial Day.