Maryland bakes at 102 as storms threaten Fourth of July events with 70 mph winds

After days of extreme heat, much of the country is settling back into normal summer temperatures.

Not Maryland.

Temperatures and heat indices, or how it feels outside, will break triple digits for the third day in a row, according to the National Weather Service, which issued an extreme heat warning for much of the state on Saturday. The high temperature will be 102 in the Baltimore area, but it will feel like 111 degrees, weather service data shows.

On top of the heat, there is a high risk of scattered, but severe, thunderstorms in the Baltimore area, Southern Maryland and parts of Harford County on Saturday starting around 4 p.m. and lasting until 8 p.m.

Brian LaSorsa, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said there’s “a lot of energy in the atmosphere” so winds could get up to 70 mph. After 8 p.m., there’s still a chance for some rain across the region, he said.

The Baltimore area was also under a code orange air quality alert on Saturday, warning people who are sensitive to poor air quality to stay inside, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment. The suburbs of Washington, D.C. were under code red alerts, which means the air quality is unhealthy.

That forecast could worsen as large firework displays begin in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, the department said.

Heat causes holiday disruptions

The high temperatures have already caused some delays and cancellations in the area on Saturday. Several Amtrak trains in the Northeast were canceled due to “temperature-related conditions,” the company said.

Some Fourth of July events have been canceled for today, including in Takoma Park, Laurel and Severna Park, which rescheduled their event for July 11.

The Cherry Hill Arts & Music Waterfront Festival delayed its start on Saturday to 5 p.m. to protect festivalgoers from the heat.

A handful of roads were in need of emergency repairs as the weather heated up on Friday, including on the northbound lanes on Interstate 97 in Anne Arundel County, all of which reopened on Saturday morning.

Keep yourself safe

Fire departments and emergency rooms are already seeing patients with heat-related illnesses. If you are outside, stay hydrated and drink fluids. Keep in mind these symptoms:

• Muscle pain or spasms
• Feeling hot but not sweating
• Heart racing
• Vomiting
• Extreme weakness
• Nausea
• Disorientation
• Slurred speech
• Rapid, shallow breathing

Baltimore is under a Code Red Alert, activating its cooling centers and extending hours at city pools. Anne Arundel County has extended hours and days for its cooling centers as well.

A list of cooling centers in every Maryland county is available on the Maryland Department of Health’s website.

This story has been updated.