Excessive heat warning for Philly

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for the immediate Philadelphia area from noon Thursday until 8 p.m. Friday with heat indices of 100 or better possible.

Elsewhere a "heat advisory" is in effect for most of New Jersey and much of eastern Pennsylvania from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday.

The afternoons will be steamy with highs well into the 90s, but the weather service warns that the nights also will be dangerously oppressive, with temperatures perhaps not getting below 80 in parts of the city. That will allow rowhouses without air-conditioning to heat in a hurry after the sun comes up.

The city reported three heat-related deaths as a result of last week's hot spell.

With the latest heat warning, Philadelphia will fire up its heat-wave response plan. That includes activating the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging's 'Heatline,' 215-765-9040, which will be available from noon until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday.

For the weekend, the heat is expected to back off a shade, with highs around 90 degrees forecasted for both Saturday and Sunday.