First Alert Weather in detail: First heatwave of the season

ROCHESTER, NY — We can see it coming! Summer heat and humidity are coming to Western New York. And that’s just in time, because the official start of the summer season (summer solstice) is less than a week away.

Additionally, this warmer weather is featured in News10NBC First Alert’s weather forecast, with arrival scheduled for early next week. It’s important to note that this will likely be the warmest weather yet this season.

We know this because our computer weather models are showing a significant change in the weather pattern. We expect a high pressure system to form over the eastern half of the country, which will carry the higher temperatures and humidity all the way to the Great Lakes. So there are a few things we need to watch for.

First, what will the maximum temperatures ultimately be? Right now, we can safely say that temperatures in western New York State are expected to be between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Celsius in Rochester). This will depend on the sea breeze and specific wind directions.

Additionally, this heat increases the demand on air cooling systems and, in turn, the entire electrical grid. On a local level, it’s a good idea to make sure your air conditioning is working well, and if you don’t have air conditioning, have an alternative plan for cooling down.

And since it’s the first heatwave of the season, some people may not feel quite used to the change yet. It’s logical to think about how you can adapt your outdoor activities by limiting or shifting the times of day when you normally stress your body.

During this time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is classifying Rochester as being in the moderate heat risk category. People who are sensitive to heat include the very young and elderly members of our community. If you normally have problems with extreme heat, remember to limit your outdoor activities.

Health care systems like emergency rooms will be under heavy strain due to the heat. And heat-sensitive occupations like roofers, construction workers, or landscapers will need to have an alternative plan in place as we enter the first heat wave of the season.