The temperature is expected to reach 98 degrees Friday and several communities have opened cooling centers for people to escape the heat. Watch video
Bruce Durocher, manager of the Manny's TV & Appliance Store at 1872 Boston Road, Wilbraham, organizes the air conditioner stock which has seen an uptick due to the recent hot weather.
SPRINGFIELD – Bad luck happens in threes. And so do heat waves.
Barring the possibility that every meteorologist in the Northeast has today’s forecast wrong, temperatures will easily exceed 90 degrees for the third day in a row.
Thus, by midday, Western Massachusetts residents can grumble Irving Berlin’s lyrics (“We’re having a heat wave/ A tropical heat wave”) and be meteorologically accurate, because three days of 90-degree temperatures is the minimum heat wave threshold.
The temperature is expected to reach 98 degrees, which would tie the record high for the date, said abc40/FOX 6 meteorologist Ed Carroll.
Thursday’s high was 98 degrees; Wednesday’s temperature reached 91 degrees.
Friday is expected to be a near duplicate of Thursday with high temperatures and humidity, hazy skies and just all-around discomfort.
Carroll said the humidity today is supposed to be a tick lower than on Thursday, but any relief will be marginal.
“It won’t come down far enough for people to notice.”
Saturday is expected to be more of the same with temperatures in the mid-90s and high humidity.
Relief will not arrive until Sunday in the form of sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-80s, he said.
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, as high temperatures and humidity will combine for oppressive conditions.
An advisory is called when temperatures are between 95 and 100, and when the heat indices reach about 104 degrees.
The conditions are ripe for heat-related illnesses, especially for children, the elderly and those who perform strenuous physical labor outside during the day.
People are advised to refrain from staying outside for long periods, to wear loose-fitting clothing and to drink plenty of water. Several communities took steps to aid residents in escaping the heat.
Up and down the Pioneer Valley, cooling centers, or places where people could come for air conditioning and cold drinks, were in operation, including centers in Springfield, Agawam, Holyoke, and Greenfield.
In Holyoke, extra water was made available in the various activity rooms at the designated cooling place, the Council on Aging in the air-conditioned basement of the War Memorial, 310 Appleton St. It will be open again today from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“Things are going fine. We always have people coming in here. We’re making sure people are staying well-hydrated,” said Kathleen A. Bowler, executive director of the Council on Aging.
Holyoke’s senior citizens are an active bunch, and a few hundred visit the Council on Aging on an average day. On Thursday, there weren’t many more people than normal despite the heat, she said.
The Council on Aging will remain the designated cooling place,
Cooling centers in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties
View Pioneer Valley cooling centers, July 21-23 in a larger map
In Amherst, Amherst Leisure Services and Supplemental Education is allowing all residents to swim for free at the Amherst Regional Middle School pool though Sunday. On Friday, open swim hours are from 5 to 7 p.m. and lap swim from 7- 8 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, open swim hours are 1-6 p.m.
The pool is supervised by American Red Cross certified lifeguards.
In Monson, Fire Chief George L. Robichaud said the Senior Center on Main Street will open Friday as a cooling center if necessary.
“With the heat wave upon us we do have the potential for perhaps some of our seniors to be in need of a cooler environment other than what they can provide for themselves,” Robichaud said. The Senior Center will be open today from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In Holland, the Senior Center on Brimfield Road will be open Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In East Longmeadow, the Council on Aging, 328 North Main St., will be open for use as a cooling shelter from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. today. People who are susceptible to difficulties caused by the extreme heat expected during this time, particularly those who have respiratory conditions, are disabled, and the elderly, are especially encouraged to go to the facility to cool off, officials said.
Residents are advised to bring any medication they will need, and that no meals will be available. For more information call the Council on Aging at (413) 525-5436.
The heat and efforts by people to beat the heat through air conditioners and fans has increased demand for electrical power across the region.
Marcia Blomberg, spokeswoman for ISO New England, said the projection is that demand could approach record highs across the region.
ISO New England has initiated an abnormal conditions alert for the region due to the heat.
The alert is a protocol that requires all electrical suppliers have all their generators and transmission equipment ready to go if needed. No systems may be taken off line for routine maintenance during the length of the alert, she said.
The projected demand for Thursday and Friday was 26,800 megawatts and 27,350 megawatts, respectively, levels that would be among the highest in New England history.
The all-time high was 28,130 megawatts set in 2006, she said.
She said she did not anticipate any problems, despite the increase in demand. If an emergency arose, large companies throughout the region would be asked to reduce usage to ease demand, and additional electricity could be requested from Canada and New York state, she said.
In Wilbraham, the Department of Public Works advised water customers Thursday that a section of a 16-inch water main was shut down on Main Street near Minnechaug Regional High School when two leaks were discovered.
The shutdown, as well as high volume usage, has caused a reduction in water pressure, systemwide. No one is without water.
Repairs on the water main are scheduled for July 27 with the work to be completed by July 29. At that time system pressure will be restored to normal levels.
Republican reporters John Appleton, Jeanette DeForge, Diane Lederman, Mike Plaisance, Elizabeth Roman and Lori Stabile contributed to this story.