No question, it’s hot, hot, hot, but record hot? Not so far.
It’s not likely that Philadelphia will see a record breaker Friday.
The record for July 3 stands at 104 in 1966. As of about 4 p.m., the temperature had reached 102, according to the National Weather Service office at Mount Holly.
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The Atlantic City Airport, however, hit 105 — tying for the record there.
Just because Philadelphia didn’t break a record doesn’t mean the heat hasn’t had a big impact. The Wawa’s Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade scheduled for Friday was canceled because of heat concerns.
Storms also pose a risk. A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the Philadelphia region, and tomorrow, the risk looks even greater.
“Any storm could be strong to severe,” Ray Martin, meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly said.
The risk on Friday is more to the north and west of the city, said Matt Benz, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather.
On Saturday, Benz said there is about a 65% chance of thunderstorms in the evening when the concert is scheduled to be underway.
“At this point, it’s difficult to promise dry weather for fireworks,” he said.
Philadelphia, where fireworks aren’t scheduled to start until about 11:30 p.m., might have the best shot of not being impacted by weather, he said.
“As we get close to midnight, we might start to dry out,” he said.
Benz said the concern about lightning strikes could be more widespread than storms.
Meanwhile, AccuWeather said Philadelphia is forecast to only drop to 83 degrees overnight Friday, which would tie the record.
The good news is both SEPTA and Peco reported no weather related problems Friday afternoon.
Regional rail trains were traveling 10 miles slower to alleviate stress on the overhead wire and tracks, which can be impacted by the heat, said Andrew Busch, spokesperson for SEPTA. The slower speed has led to some delays.
Peco recommends that customers keep their thermostats between 75 and 78 during the day and shades drawn, said Izamarie Camacho, a Peco spokesperson. All unnecessary lights and devices also should be turned off, Camacho said.
Local hospitals contacted didn’t immediately report an uptick in heat-related illnesses or injuries. Temple University Hospital main campus had five heat-related cases on Friday as of 4:30 p.m., according to a spokesperson. No other information about the cases or whether it was increase from prior days was available.
The Philadelphia Fire Department has seen “a marked increase in calls” over the last few days, said Rachel Cunningham, communications director. There have been more than 1,000 calls on Wednesday and Thursday, but the department didn’t have a breakdown on how many were heat-related.
The number of calls on Friday were not available.
The number of people seen at the department’s medic tents at Lemon Hill, where the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival is occurring, and Lincoln Financial Field, where the games are held. has remained relatively low. There were just four people who came in on Thursday, with two becoming patients and no one requiring transport to a hospital, Cunningham said. On Wednesday, five people came in, one becoming a patient and no one requiring transport. And on Tuesday, 14 people came in with five becoming patients and two requiring transport to a hospital.
The coolest spot in the region looks to be the Jersey shore, Benz said. The Atlantic City boardwalk was 82 degrees at about 3 p.m.
“You almost have to be touching the water to feel that kind of temperature,” he said.
A sea dip is one sure way to get cool — ocean water temperatures are in the low 60s, he said.
But for those celebrating the holiday in Philadelphia, Benz said “stay hydrated, take it easy, enjoy the 4th and keep an eye on the sky.”