Harrison Thorp
Monday, June 30, 2014 8:54 am

While it probably won’t qualify as an official heat wave, the next three days may feel like it, especially after one of the longest, coldest winters in recent memory.

Today’s highs will push near 90 degrees and tomorrow may feel even toastier, according to Mike Kistner with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine.

Kistner said the heat index for Sanford will be around 94 degrees tomorrow.

Heat index combines the outside temperature with humidity and other factor to project a “real feel” equivalent.

While there weren’t a lot of true beach days in June, the average high June temperature for Portland was 73.9, about a half a degree warmer than usual.

A heat wave is normally based on three straight days of 90-degree temps.

The Red Cross advises that folks like the elderly and those with breathing problems take extra special precautions during the next three days.

Some of the tips they offer to the general public include.

*** Listen to local weather forecasts and stay aware of upcoming temperature changes.

*** Be aware of both the temperature and the heat index. The heat index is the temperature the body feels when the effects of heat and humidity are combined. Exposure to direct sunlight can increase the heat index by as much as 15° F.
*** Discuss heat safety precautions with members of your household. Have a plan for wherever you spend time - home, work and school - and prepare for the possibility of power outages.
*** Check the contents of your emergency disaster kit (bug out bag) in case a power outage occurs.
*** Know those in your neighborhood who are elderly, young, sick or overweight. They are more likely to become victims of excessive heat and may need help.
*** If you do not have air conditioning, choose places you could go to for relief from the heat during the warmest part of the day (schools, libraries, theaters, malls).
Be aware that people living in urban areas may be at greater risk from the effects of a prolonged heat wave than are people living in rural areas.
*** Get trained in First Aid to learn how to treat heat-related emergencies.
Ensure that your animals’ needs for water and shade are met.

Thankfully it looks like the area will be cooling down before 4th of July celebrations began in earnest. According to Kistner, the area will be back in the mid-80s on Wednesday and the lower 80s for the weekend.

Independence Day will see temps in the low 70s with a chance of a thunderstorm, however Kistner said weather models show the likelihood of precipitation lowering throughout the day back to around a 20 percent chance by late afternoon.