Richmond, Virginia – Much of central and eastern Virginia is baking under dangerous heat today, with “feels like” temperatures soaring as high as 109° from Richmond to Virginia Beach. The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, warning that the extreme heat and humidity could cause heat-related illnesses if precautions aren’t taken.
According to the National Weather Service in Wakefield, the advisory stretches across more than 40 Virginia counties and independent cities, including Richmond, Norfolk, Petersburg, Chesapeake, Hampton, and the Eastern Shore. The heat index is expected to range between 105° and 109°, with inland urban areas and low-lying regions at highest risk.
Across southern Maryland — including Dorchester, Wicomico, and the Maryland beaches — similar warnings are in effect, with heat index values topping 105° by early afternoon.
North Carolina counties including Pasquotank, Hertford, and Currituck are also under a Heat Advisory today, followed by an Extreme Heat Watch Saturday through Sunday, where values could exceed 110° — potentially the most intense heat wave of the summer.
Residents should stay indoors during peak hours, drink plenty of water, and check on elderly relatives and neighbors. Limit outdoor work and never leave children or pets in vehicles, even briefly.
More advisories are expected this weekend as a multi-day heat wave intensifies across the Mid-Atlantic.
