A heat wave looms over Philly's big July 4th weekend
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Graphic: NOAA
Philadelphia is bracing for a "heat dome" that's expected to bring dangerously high temperatures ahead of the city's biggest party of the year.
Why it matters: As many as 1 million people could flock to Philly for the Fourth of July, when a massive concert will kick off alongside a World Cup knockout match, followed by a fireworks show.
The big picture: Philly expects to hit the 100s on Thursday and Friday for the first time this summer. Saturday could see a high near 101, with a chance of showers and storms for the festivities, per NWS.
- Scorching heat hasn't been a big factor in Philly's World Cup matches so far — but rain has. Last week's France-Iraq match was the first of the tournament to be delayed because of weather.
- FIFA already works two three-minute hydration breaks during matches to help combat the heat. The governing body hasn't outlined any temperature threshold that would trigger a delay or suspension of play, per the Athletic.
Meanwhile, Philly is likely to issue a heat advisory, like it did earlier this month, that opens cooling centers and activates other citywide resources to keep people safe.
What they're saying: The high temperatures, "combined with high humidity, will result in heat indices approaching or exceeding 105-110 in many places," NOAA forecasters write.
- "Overnight lows will also be quite warm, with some record high minimums possible, bringing little to no relief from the heat in the nighttime hours."
Threat level: Such conditions affect "anyone without cooling/hydration as well as health systems, industries, and infrastructure."
🥵 Meanwhile: The heat wave baking Europe this week wouldn't be possible without climate change, a World Weather Attribution rapid study found.