Excessive Heat — Lehigh, Pennsylvania

2010-07-05 to 2010-07-07 · Lehigh, Pennsylvania

Wider weather episode

The hottest weather of the summer season occurred on July 5th through the 7th throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. Except for the Poconos, many high temperatures on the 6th and 7th exceeded 100 degrees, some places even on the 5th exceeded 100 degrees. Even in the Poconos, high temperatures approached 100 degrees on the 6th. For many areas, this was the first time since August of 2001 that high temperatures exceeded 100 degrees and also for two consecutive days. The hot weather started on the 4th and peaked on the 6th and 7th. An onshore flow lowered maximum temperatures on the 8th and 9th, even though some 90s still occurred. The heat wave ended for all on the 10th as a slow moving cold front moved through the state.

There were 10 heat related fatalities, six within Philadelphia, three in Montgomery County (Norristown) and 1 in Lehigh County (Whitehall Township). Most were elderly people that did not have working air conditioning. In Montgomery County, the 62-year-old, 56-year-old and 53-year old men all suffered from mental disabilities. One room temperature was between 105 and 110 degrees when the body was found. Delaware County reported an approximate 20 percent increase in emergency room visits during the heat wave. It was so hot that children were getting burned on hot playground surfaces. In Philadelphia, senior centers extended their hours as did city pools. The Philadelphia Corporate of Aging activated its Heatline and received 82 calls on the 6th alone. Philadelphia school districts dismissed children early on the 6th and 7th. Corn crops were affected by the heat.

In Reading, the three consecutive maximum temperatures of 100 degrees or more on the 5th through the 7th matched the record initially set from July 2nd through the 4th in 1966. In Philadelphia, it was the first time since August 2001 that the maximum temperature reached 100 and the high temperature of 103 degrees on the 7th matched the hottest day in the city since July 15, 1995.

Highest temperatures included 104 degrees at the Northeast Philadelphia Airport, 103 degrees at the Philadelphia International Airport and Pottstown (Montgomery County), 102 degrees in West Chester (Chester County) and Reading (Berks County), 101 degrees at the Lehigh Valley International Airport, Springtown and Doylestown (Bucks County) and Easton (Northampton County), 100 degrees in Sellersville (Bucks County), 99 degrees in Lehighton (Carbon County) and 94 degrees in Mount Pocono (Monroe County).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 253764. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.