Monday, February 24, 2025, 5:47PM |  50°
MENU
Advertisement
The Downtown skyline as seen from the Riverwalk on the North Shore on Monday, June 17, 2024.
16
MORE

Excessive heat warning in effect for Pittsburgh, with temperatures feeling like up to 110 degrees through Friday

Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette

Excessive heat warning in effect for Pittsburgh, with temperatures feeling like up to 110 degrees through Friday

Communities around Western Pa. are also picking up the pieces after severe storms pummeled the region. And there's more to come.

The brutal heat is here to stay, and severe thunderstorms added to the mess around Western Pennsylvania on Monday.

Now, the extreme heat is forecast to be even hotter than originally forecast, and more severe weather is possible.

The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for much of Western Pennsylvania. Temperatures will be in the upper 90s, but when factoring in humidity, it could feel like up to 110 degrees at times through Friday.

Advertisement

Strong winds with thunderstorms on Monday hit some areas north of Pittsburgh particularly hard, and cleanup was underway to clean up. Tens of thousands of people lost power, and some might not see it restored until Wednesday evening.

Yezica Jimenez, 16, from left, Luzmaria Celis, 13, and Sandra Cortez stand under a water barrel at the splash pad inside Waterfront Park in Louisville, Ky., on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Louisville is expected to have sustained temperatures in the 90's all week.
John Seewer and Patrick Orsagos
Record-breaking U.S. heat wave scorches the Midwest and Northeast, bringing safety measures

Here’s the latest.

LIVE UPDATES

3:02 p.m.

Advertisement

Cooling centers in O’Hara

Mark Rothert, executive director of the Lauri Ann West Community Center in O’Hara Township, said the center provided charging stations throughout the day on Tuesday for people who encountered power outages.

“Fortunately, we didn't lose our power…we do notice a lot more people here but we’re open to the public,” Mr. Rothert said. “I'm glad we have power, and I'm glad people can come here if they want, and cool off and enjoy their day, go to the cafe [and] be out of the heat a little bit.”

At Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Company in O’Hara, food and drinks were available throughout the day along with fully functioning air conditioning for those who need it.

Leo Frepoli

Shannon Hefferan, lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Moon, checks on the heat index on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
Abby Lipold
During severe heat and storms, the National Weather Service is on the front lines

——————————

2:50 p.m.

‘It came in with a bang’

An apartment building on Third Avenue in New Brighton sustained severe damage after a tree fell on its back half, downing a power line and destroying a portico over the rear door.

On Tuesday afternoon, Jessica Gillespie, 37, who lives on the second-floor of the building, was still shaken up by the storm, which also tore out a support beam from underneath the staircase on the building’s exterior leading up to her apartment.

Ms. Gillespie, a nurse, said she’d just gotten home from work on Monday evening when the winds picked up.

“The dark clouds came in and I knew the storm was coming, but it came in with a bang,” Ms. Gillespie said. “I could see a dark shadow across my window and all of a sudden the house shook, glass shatter, and my little five-year-old was in a panic.”

Ms. Gillespie said she went to her living room and discovered one of her windows was shattered.

“It was just nuts,” she said. “It came in and it was so fast.”

Jacob Geanous

——————————

2:13 p.m.

Keeping HVAC techs busy

Luke Lamb, general manager of J&A HVAC services West Mifflin, said his company started to get an increase in calls regarding air conditioning concerns on Sunday.

By Monday, that call volume had increased by nearly 50 percent.

“A big concern now, following the power outages from the storm last night, is the stress on the AC systems trying to catch up and cool homes once power is back on,” Mr. Lamb said. “We continue to prepare our techs for some late days to ensure we’re able to help as many customers as possible.”

Mr. Lamb said the homeowners should make sure the electrical panel and grounding at a residence are up to current code and safety standards. Generators are also a good emergency back-up, he said.

Leo Frepoli

——————————

1:45 p.m.

Searching for cooler air in Sharpsburg

After Tammy Myers lost power at her home, she went searching for air conditioning. Her family was at a nearby park when they spotted a Port Authority Transit bus parked near the Sharpsburg Borough Hall on Main Street. The buses were parked around town to serve as cooling stations.

“I've lived here eight years, and we haven't had any problems with the power, but it's really nice of Sharpsburg to do this,” Ms. Myers said.

In O’Hara, officials opened the Pleasant View Volunteer Fire Company as a cooling station, though no residents had shown up to take advantage of the air conditioning as of early Tuesday afternoon.

All school buildings in the Fox Chapel District were also closed Tuesday due to power outages.

Leo Frepoli

——————————

1:23 p.m.

Major cleanup underway in New Brighton

On Third Avenue in New Brighton, residents removed down trees and branches in the sweltering heat on Tuesday afternoon.

One of the residents, Doug Inman, 64, was working to clean up his yard and home with his family after a large tree was knocked into a corner of his porch by high winds on Monday evening.

Mr. Inman was getting ready to cook dinner when the lights in his home began to flicker — then came the sound of a crash outside.

“The electric acted like it went off and then we heard a loud boom,” he said. “The whole tree had come down and knocked into the side of the porch roof.”

Mr. Inman said he was glad the tree only fell on a corner of his porch instead of directly on his home.

“Luckily it fell that way,” he said. “It’s a big tree.”

Helping Mr. Inman clean up debris from his yard was his brother-in-law and borough Councilman Jay Glover. Mr. Glover lauded borough services for their quick response to Monday’s devastating storm.

“Our public works, our fire department, they were out right when it all happened,” he said.

Mr. Glover said when the winds began to pick up Monday, calls for emergency services began to pour in.

“I was listening to 911, they were going crazy,” he said. “They were getting calls from Aliquippa to North Sewickley.”

Down the street from Mr. Inman’s home, the road was taped off at the corner of Third Avenue and 16th Street, where more trees had fallen, including into the road.

A block down, on 15th Street, Nancy Hoffman assessed the damage left by the winds, which littered her front yard with branches, flung the flag displayed on her porch into the street, and a large portion of a tree crushed her uncle’s van parked in front of her home.

Ms. Hoffman, 66, said she saw an alert on her TV Monday warning of severe storms moments before the wind began whipping, knocking over basketball hoops in her neighborhood.

She said her uncle sat on her porch while she tended to her dog, who is terrified of storms, before the hail began swirling with such force she could barely see out her front window.

“It got to the point that I didn’t even see my uncle, he was gone, it was wind and hail,” she said. “And just like that all the branches came down…, all at one time, boom.”

— Jacob Geanous

——————————

12:49 p.m.

More than 19,000 Duquesne Light customers still without power

More than 100,000 customers all across Western Pennsylvania lost power during severe storms, including more than 90,000 Duquesne Light customers alone. 

Duquesne Light spokeswoman Alyssa Battaglia said in an update Tuesday afternoon that more than 71,000 of those customers had their power restored overnight and into Tuesday morning. 

At least 19,000 customers remained without power as the extreme heat settled back in Tuesday afternoon.

Ms. Battaglia said the NWS classified a period of high winds — more than 60 mph — as a microburst that swept through parts of the region. It was the most significant storm in terms of power outages that the region has seen since February 2019, she said, when 130,000 DLC customers lost power.

There were more than 1,000 separate incidents DLC was responding to, mostly in the northern part of the company’s coverage area.

She did not give an estimated time for the power to be restored to the remaining 19,000 people who were left in the dark. 

——————————

12:32 p.m.

Excessive heat warning issued

The National Weather Service upgraded the heat advisory that was in effect for the area to an excessive heat warning through 8 p.m. Friday.

Temperatures will remain in the upper 90s through the week, but when factoring in the high humidity, it will feel like anywhere between 105 and 110 degrees. The warning is in effect for Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

And there’s not much relief after the sun goes down. Overnight low temperatures will be in the low to mid-70s.

The NWS said Pittsburgh has never seen a stretch in June of six or more consecutive days with low temperatures that warm in 154 years of record-keeping.

The NWS cautions that this level of extreme heat and high humidity can lead to a large increase in heat-related illnesses.

——————————

11:55 a.m.

More severe weather could be coming

Monday’s storms were special, according to the National Weather Service. Storms associated with high temperatures and high dew points “tend to be stronger than our garden variety thunderstorm,” said meteorologist Lee Hendricks.

The storms caused downbursts with high winds and wind damage with numerous reports of downed trees in Beaver, Westmoreland and Allegheny counties, he said.

Conditions are right for more downbursts Tuesday and Wednesday, Mr. Hendricks said.

“We put up warnings knowing that a storm will produce a downburst in this area but how bad and widespread it will be is almost impossible to tell ahead of time,” he said.

However, the severe storms will be more scattered than Monday, and after Wednesday, there’s only a 20% of showers and thunderstorms, Mr. Hendricks said.

“We’re not looking for what happened yesterday,” he said. “After that, the weather will be more stable.” ‘s’

Mary Ann Thomas

——————————

11:20 a.m.

‘It curled up like a pop can’

On Tuesday morning, All Access Automotive in New Brighton was working to repair a large section of its roof that was torn off by storm gusts Monday evening.

Brian DeCoy, co-owner of the used car dealership, said he noticed the wind kick up around 5 p.m. and the rain that had been blowing sideways turned into a fine mist.

He said the gusts became so strong they lifted up the back of a tow truck the shop recently purchased before the front section of the roof was blown up and off the back of the building.

“It curled up like a pop can,” Mr. DeCoy said.

Despite damaging a large section of the roof, causing flooding in a portion of the rear of the building, the winds left the remainder of the business unscathed, so they got right back to work, Mr. DeCoy said.

“We sold a car and bought another off the street right after that,” Mr. DeCoy said.

Jacob Geanous

——————————

9 a.m.

The forecast

The weather service is forecasting highs of in the mid to upper 90s through Saturday before a slight cooldown into the low 90s on Sunday and then back into the mid-80s on Monday. 

Factoring in humidity, it will feel more like 105 degrees in the middle of the afternoon Tuesday. Pittsburgh’s forecast high is 97 degrees, which would tie the record for June 18.

Lows are expected to remain in the 70s at night all week, and a heat advisory is in effect until Friday evening.

The NWS said there is the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and into the evening. The main threat will be damaging wind again.

It’s likely the region’s feels-like temperatures will be over 100 degree again between storms. After a storm moves through, the temperature will drop, but humidity will increase, which can make the air feel just as oppressive as higher temperatures with lower humidity.

“We have a prolonged heat advisory that extends all the way until Friday,” she said. “We might have to extend it if we are confident the heat wave will continue through the weekend. Heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer.”

Over the last 30 years, an average of 183 people per year die from heat-related illnesses or injuries around the country. The next highest weather event is flooding, which has killed an average of 88 people per year since 1994.

In 2023, 207 people died from complications with heat, according to the NWS. 

The weather service said there’s a “heat dome” hovering over the upper Midwest, Great Lakes and Western Pennsylvania. It’s a likely record stretch of heat that some locations haven’t seen in decades, the NWS said.

— Abby Lipold

——————————

8:30 a.m.

Tens of thousands lost power

The line of severe thunderstorms, triggered by the atmospheric instability, spurred tens of thousands of power outages Monday evening and exacerbated concerns over how residents can stay cool.

More than 26,000 Duquesne Light customers were still without power as of about 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to the company’s website. More than 6,000 West Penn Power customers were also still without power. 

At one point in the night, more than 100,000 customers in the region had lost power.

With high wind gusts toppling down trees and power lines, more than 12,000 West Penn customers were without power by 7 p.m. Monday, said Todd Meyer, representative for West Penn Power. As of Tuesday morning, around 2,000 customers remain without power, with 1,100 being in Westmoreland County; 300 in Armstrong County; 50 in Allegheny County; 150 in Butler County; and 125 in Washington County.

Officials expect power to be restored to West Penn customers by 11 p.m. Tuesday.

For Penn Power customers, more than 17,000 were impacted Monday evening, Mr. Meyer said. Around 7 p.m. Monday, nearly 10,000 customers in Allegheny County, 5,000 in Butler County and 1,800 in Beaver County were without power.

Currently 5,900 Penn Power customers are without power in the region, Mr. Meyer said. This includes 3,400 in Allegheny County, mainly in the area of Cranberry, and 1,200 customers each in Beaver and Butler Counties. Officials expect the majority of Penn Power customers to have power restored by 11 p.m. Wednesday.

None of the outages were due to the heat, Mr. Meyer said.

Crews are being assisted by workers from other FirstEnergy utilities, with more than 120 additional line workers helping to restore power to the region.

——————————

Places to cool off

Michael Brown cannot remember another summer when such powerful heat has hit Pittsburgh. When she began to see warnings on television that a heat wave was coming, she thought to herself, “What’s gonna happen to the people on the street?”

Six cooling centers opened Monday in senior community centers in various neighborhoods. Ms. Brown was pleased to learn that one would be at the Homewood Senior Center, where she has been a board member for 17 years. “Thank God! They got to have someplace to go,” she said.

While the power outages turned off the air conditioning for many Monday night, the hope is that the cooling centers set up around the region will be powered up for most of the week as the temperatures hover at brutal levels.

Also known as healthy active living centers, the senior community center spaces mostly serve seniors and also serve some younger people. The city of Pittsburgh has extended the centers’ hours until 7 p.m. through Friday.

On Monday, turnout was relatively sparse for some centers, but the employees and volunteers there expect to receive more visitors this week as the high temperatures continue. Some of those seeking relief may be people left without shelter due to the Second Avenue Commons fire on June 4.

The South Side Healthy Active Living Community Center saw approximately 13 people between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday. Volunteers chalked that up to the center’s proximity to Downtown and Second Avenue Commons. According to volunteers, most of the visitors were in their 20s and 30s, which is a younger crowd than the center normally sees.

Volunteers said they thought news of the cooling centers opening was spreading by word of mouth.

Deborah Sterling Campbell, a recreational leader at Homewood Healthy Active Living Community Center, said some seniors who use the center recreationally are currently using it for cooling purposes. She said many seniors live in large high-rises with central air conditioning. She worries about seniors living in single-family homes who may only have fans.

In general, Ms. Campbell believes the city is adequately supporting its designated cooling centers, which are set up to provide snacks, cold drinks and even some spaces for people to sleep. They are a “much-needed service,” she said, not only for people living without adequate shelter, but “just day-to-day people that are traveling, going from work to home, or waiting for a bus.”

— Elena Eisenstadt

——————————

Recognizing the dangers

Meanwhile, doctors were warning that the heat wave isn’t just uncomfortable — it can be dangerous.

“Our bodies do a pretty good job at managing thermal load,” said Donald M. Yealy, chief medical officer for UPMC. “But there are some limits to what an individual can withstand.”

Signs of struggling to manage in the heat are headaches, nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness and heat cramps, said Christopher Morris, an emergency physician at AHN in Wexford.

With those symptoms, a person should get out of the heat and into air conditioning, if possible, and start to drink cold water.

If symptoms progress to include a rapid heartbeat, fainting, a fever, or confusion, those can be signs of heatstroke, requiring immediate medical attention.

“Heatstroke is the number one thing that we are worried about,” Dr. Morris said. “It starts to affect your brain to the point where it is almost like you are having a stroke.”

Left, untreated, heatstroke can result in permanent damage to vital organs and even death.

“Call 911 right away if you think someone may have heat stroke,” advised the American Red Cross in a news release. “After calling 911, move the person to a cool place, and use wet cloths, misting or fanning to help cool them off. Do not give the person anything to drink.”

The Red Cross also has a First Aid app that can be used if medical professionals are delayed or unavailable.

People also should seek medical attention if symptoms such as dizziness or nausea don’t subside even after they come inside and hydrate, said Dr. Morris.

— Anya Sostek

——————————

Workers, athletes at risk

As of Monday afternoon, neither UPMC or AHN had seen any patients complaining of heat-related illnesses. The people at highest risk for heat-related health complications include the elderly, young children, athletes exerting themselves and those whose jobs require them to work outside, such as construction workers or roofers.

One study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute found that the probability of work-related accidents increases by 5% to 6% when the maximum daily temperature rises above 90 degrees.

“Some people’s jobs are outside all day,” Dr. Yealy said. “Those people can be in great danger.”

For athletes, Dr. Yealy also cautioned against pushing past the body’s signals to build endurance, as was once common practice.

“Trying to push on is almost always a bad idea,” he said, noting that generally, most coaches and trainers are aware now of the need for moderation and hydration.

The same cautions that apply to humans also translate to pets when it comes to heat-related illnesses. Allison Faust with the Veterinary Emergency Group said that they haven’t seen any pets with heat-related symptoms as of Monday, but gave recommendations for pets with symptoms of heatstroke.

“If you notice any sign of heatstroke, get them to a cool, shaded area in air conditioning. If they’re collapsing, get them to the nearest vet,” she said.

“The best thing you can do for your pets is prevention. I would not recommend taking them out any time from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and for smushed-face breeds such as pugs I would not recommend taking them outside at all.”

— Anya Sostek and Abby Lipold

First Published: June 18, 2024, 9:55 a.m.
Updated: June 18, 2024, 11:01 p.m.

RELATED
Passersby look at the damage from Monday's storms in front of a home on 3rd Avenue in New Brighton on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
Megan Guza
Western Pa. cleans up from severe storm damage as the forecast calls for more rough weather
The intersection of Fifth avenue and South Negley avenue is seen without power resulting in a lot of traffic primarily along Fifth avenue in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill on June 17, 2024. Several intersections along Fifth avenue, specifically near Chatham University, are without power.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Severe storms, oppressive heat spur tens of thousands of power outages across the Pittsburgh region
Randy Soergel of Soergel Orchards said this week’s high temperatures will help crops flourish since the region has experienced heavy rainfall.
Abby Lipold
Farmers say forecasted heatwave is good news for summer crops
Displaced residents of Second Avenue Commons and onlookers await an update following a fire at Second Avenue Commons homeless shelter Downtown Tuesday, June 4.
Kinnia Cheuk
Homeless shelters, street outreach teams prepare to help vulnerable communities during looming heat wave
As temperatures look to hit the high 90s this week, experts suggest limiting periods of prolonged exertion outside.
Ava Dzurenda
'Every one of us is at risk': How to protect against the health risks that accompany extreme heat
SHOW COMMENTS (18)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
President Donald Trump speaks at the Governors Working Session in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Feb. 21, 2025.
1
opinion
Bruce Ledewitz: The Supreme Court will step up and Trump will back down
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden catches a pass against Ohio State during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.
2
sports
Which positions are strong and weak at NFL combine? And how will Steelers approach this draft?
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cory Trice Jr. (27) intercepts a pass during a failed two-point conversion by the Kansas City Chiefs at Acrisure Stadium on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in the North Shore. The Kansas City Chiefs won 29-10.
3
sports
Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 02.24.25
A clerk at the Venango County Sheriff’s Office reviews Rachel Powell’s application for a gun permit, in Franklin, Pa, Feb. 4, 2025. Powell is one of hundreds of prisoners granted amnesty for their role in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as President Donald Trump has sought to alter the record of that day, but her life, like her nation, is deeply changed.
4
news
Pardoned for Jan. 6, 'Pink Hat Lady' came home to a new reality in Western Pa.
Pirates first-round pick Konnor Griffin hits against the Twins at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida, on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025.
5
sports
Pirates top pick Konnor Griffin has raised eyebrows at spring training. Next step is learning to be a pro
The Downtown skyline as seen from the Riverwalk on the North Shore on Monday, June 17, 2024.  (Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette)
Terry Leasure leans on the porch railing of her home on Washington Street in Rochester on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. A neighbor’s tree fell on her roof from Monday’s storms.  (Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette)
Six-year-old James Charles Liptak of the North Side follows the family pet, a Bull Dog named Rumble, through the water on the steps by PNC Park on the North Shore on Monday, June 17, 2024.  (Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette)
The intersection of Fifth Avenue and South Negley Avenue is seen without power resulting in a lot of traffic primarily along Fifth Avenue in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill on June 17, 2024. Several intersections along Fifth Avenue, specifically near Chatham University, are without power.  (Esteban Marenco/Post-Gazette)
The intersection of Fifth avenue and South Negley avenue is seen without power resulting in a lot of traffic and a near vehicle collision involving a silver Mercedes bends and a DHL delivery truck in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill on June 17, 2024. Several intersections along Fifth avenue, specifically near Chatham University, are without power. SLUG: 20240617EMSTANDALONE  (Esteban Marenco/Post-Gazette)
Water flooded the back office of All Access Automotive after gusts tore part of the business' roof off.Water flooded the back office of All Access Automotive after gusts tore part of the business' roof off.  (Jacob Geanous/Post-Gazette)
Heavy winds Monday evening tore part of the roof off All Access Automotive in New Brighton.  (Brian DeCoy)
A driver passes a van covered by a fallen tree branch from Monday's storms on 15th Street in New Brighton on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette)  (Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette)
Passersby look at the damage from Monday's storms in front of a home on 3rd Avenue in New Brighton on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.  (Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette)
Trees are down along 3rd Ave in New Brighton on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.  (Jacob Geanous/Post-Gazette)
Trees are down along 3rd Ave in New Brighton on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.  (Jacob Geanous/Post-Gazette)
Heavy winds Monday evening tore part of the roof off All Access Automotive in New Brighton.  (Brian DeCoy)
Victoria Stuchell, left, Zoey Wost, center, and Olivia Shankle, right, lay out on Schenly Plaza while engaging in regular conversation in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of North Oakland on June 17, 2024.  (Esteban Marenco/Post-Gazette)
Drivers go past a power line hit by lightning, sparking a fire on the hillside along Route 51 in Crescent on Monday, June 17, 2024.  (Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette)
Six-year-old James Charles Liptak of the North Side keeps cool from the heat on the water steps by PNC Park on the North Shore with the family pet, a Bull Dog named Rumble, and dad Michael Liptak on Monday, June 17, 2024.  (Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette)
Living necessities next to a donation box are found inside the Homewood Healthy Active Living Center in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Homewood North on June 17, 2024. The Living Center serves as a cooling center during the heat.  (Esteban Marenco/Post-Gazette)
Lucy Schaly/Post-Gazette
Advertisement
LATEST news
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story