Lorain County residents should find some relief from the heat today, according to the National Weather Service.
After two days of excessive heat advisories, meteorologist Kristen Yeager said a cold front will drop the temperature to a projected high of 82 degrees Sunday. On Saturday, the heat reached 97 degrees at 4 p.m., just short of the record-breaking temperature of 99 degrees at Cleveland Hopkins Airport in 1988. Friday, temperatures were recorded at 95 degrees.
Yeagar said the nearly record-breaking temperatures were due to a high-pressure air mass that has been sitting over the area for the past few days.
For an excessive heat advisory to go into effect, Yeagar said the heat index must be equal to or greater than 105 degrees for more than two hours. The heat index is a combination of both the temperature and the humidity, and taking the heat index into account, Yeagar said the temperature may have felt like 108 degrees Saturday to many Lorain County residents.
Although Lorain County didn’t reach record-breaking temperatures, a temperature of 101 degrees was recorded at the Akron/Canton Airport Saturday, breaking the area’s hottest temperature of 100 degrees in 1988, said meteorologist John Mayers. That temperature was recorded at 3:11 p.m. Saturday.
Mayers said many areas in Ohio were likely hotter, however.
At Cleveland Hopkins Airport, a temperature of 98 degrees was recorded with a heat index of 108 degrees. That temperature was recorded at 3:58 p.m.
The National Weather Service has six automated sensors through Ohio and Pennsylvania, with the closest sensor to Lorain County located at Cleveland Hopkins.
Two secondary observation points at Longfellow Middle School in Lorain and off the lakeshore at Sheffield Lake each recorded temperatures of 98 degrees, according to data given to the National Weather Service.
Despite excessive heat, EMH Medical Center in Elyria reported no heat-related medical emergencies Saturday afternoon. Dr. Marion Carroll of EMH reported treating several people with heat-related symptoms Friday, including two people with prior respiratory problems.
Due to excessive heat, the National Weather Service recommended area residents stay out of the sun as much as possible, but that didn’t stop beachgoers from seeking fun in the sun.
Many residents visited Lakeview Park beach Saturday, although most opted for a shady spot away from the glaring sun.
Damon Parker, an employee at the Lakeview Park concession stand, said beach attendance was up Friday and Saturday.
“I would say there were about 100 more people (this weekend),” he said.
Gary Mortus, spokesman for Ohio Edison, said no blackouts or brownouts were reported from high usage during the heat wave.
Contact Chelsea Miller at 329-7123 or cmiller@chroniclet.com.
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