Humidity, heat push to record levels for region

Humidity compounded the effects of record high temperatures across the region Saturday, as the thermometer reached 97 in Philadelphia and Wilmington and 99 in Atlantic City.

People waking up in the city Sunday morning won't feel much relief. The overnight forecast was for temperatures in the low- to mid-80s and enduring humidity. The National Weather Service to extend its excessive heat warning until 6 a.m. Sunday.

Later in the day, "there is a cold front coming," said Ray Kruzdlo, a weather service hydrologist. "Cold" being a relative word.

The forecast for Monday is cooler and drier, with highs in the upper 80s. But if the pattern continues, more intense heat could be on the way. Early August is typically the hottest time of the year.

The weather service issued an excessive heat warning for the first time this year for an area that stretched from south of Washington, D.C., to north of Baltimore along I-95. By midday Saturday a wide band from lower New England to the Deep South was under a heat advisory. Heat emergencies or alerts were issued in 20 states Saturday.

With the high humidity, heat indexes in the region soared into triple digits Saturday, with Wilmington hitting 111. Philadelphia felt like 104, and in North Wildwood it was 109.

That's certainly the way Kay Connors felt Saturday. The Philadelphia tour guide wears colonial-era costumes. When she finished taking a group through historic Philadelphia, Connors took off her dress, petticoat and ruffled cap and drove home to Moorestown, wearing just her camisole and pantaloons.

In her 25 years "on the street" she said, "this is the hottest it's ever been."

Actual temperatures in Philadelphia have been at or above normal for three consecutive weeks, said New Jersey state climatologist Dave Robinson. In a year of extreme weather patterns, "that's consistency," he said.

Most of the record highs for July 24 in the region had stood since 1987, with Philadelphia and Wilmington surpassing the former mark of 95 and Atlantic City jumping past 93.

Heat prompted the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging to keep its emergency heatline, which directs seniors to cooling centers and deploys emergency services when needed, operating until midnight Saturday.

Supervisor Heidi Gambino said the heatline 215-765-9040 could reopen Sunday morning if conditions don't improve. The staff advised people to stay in air-conditioned places when possible or to use fans, always with the windows open, and to remain in the lower levels of a home.

Since June 23, 11 people have died of heat-related causes in Philadelphia, Gambino said.

The heat prompted Philadelphia Park to cancel horse racing Saturday. Races were expected to resume Sunday.

Regional utilities were unfazed by the weather, with no reported outages. PECO users set a weekend record for peak usage, topping out at 8,090 megawatts. The prior record was 7,854, said spokesman Ben Armstrong. The record for weekday use - when business operations bump up demand - is 8,932 megawatts, set in August 2006.

The sun did not slow the usual parade of tourists and bridal parties up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps. Jeremiah Carber, who sells Rocky Water Ice at the bottom steps, said sales were at the highest yet this year.

Autumn Cabrera, 6, tried some of the cool treat before emulating Rocky's run up the steps with her father, Maurice, 41, and 1-year-old brother, Jadon.

The family was visiting from Brooklyn and shifted most of their plans indoors. But, the "unbearable" heat couldn't keep them from the stairs, Maurice Cabrera said.

"You think of Philly, you think of Rocky running up these steps," he said.

Others near the museum chided Jeff Miller, 26, as he set out for a 4-mile run on the Schulkyll River Trail during the hottest part of the day. He didn't mind.

"When you're sweating, it doesn't feel as hot" he said.