Much of Maryland — including Baltimore, Frederick, Columbia, Annapolis, Gaithersburg and Bel Air — is under a heat advisory from the National Weather Service from 12-8 p.m. on Monday.
Heat indexes of around 105 degrees are expected around the region, according to the NWS. In Baltimore, temperatures could reach as high as 98 degrees with a heat index around 102, according to the forecast.
The city is under a Code Red Extreme Heat Alert that began last week and continues through Monday.
Monday and Tuesday have small chances of precipitation; later in the week the odds of showers and thunderstorms go up. As of Monday morning, thunderstorms are “likely” to occur in Baltimore Thursday night.
The heat advisory in Maryland comes as large swaths of the country grapple with a heat wave.
The U.S. heat wave came as the global temperature in June was record warm for the 13th straight month and it marked the 12th straight month that the world was 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial times, according to the European climate service Copernicus.
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An excessive heat warning, the National Weather Service’s highest alert, was in effect for about 36 million people, or about 10% of the population, weather service meteorologist Bryan Jackson said. Dozens of locations in the West and Pacific Northwest tied or broke previous heat records.
There have been four heat-related deaths reported in Maryland so far in 2024, according to the latest surveillance report from the Maryland Department of Health. All of them have been in Prince George’s County.
Last year, the first heat-related death of the summer in Maryland was not reported until the middle of July.
Maryland has also seen an early spike in the number of people visiting the emergency rooms or urgent care, and in calls for emergency medical services for heat-related illness compared to previous years.
Exposure to high temperatures can lead to heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Heatstroke is “a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate medical attention,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Staying safe in high temperatures is all about prevention, according to the Maryland Department of Health.
General tips for safety include:
- Staying hydrated
- Reducing outdoor activity
- Staying inside between 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Seeking relief in air conditioning
Babies and children should never be left in a closed vehicle, even for a short period of time. This map from The Baltimore Banner shows where cooling centers are around the region.
Forecasters earlier this year said Maryland is in for a muggy and hot summer. The region should expect to see that pattern continue as human-caused climate change continues.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Correction: This story has been updated to correct when the current Code Red Extreme Heat Alert started.
