By Jeremy Boren
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review
PITTSBURGH — Riding out Western Pennsylvania’s first heat wave of the season is a lot more fun than what most people were doing exactly five months ago today: Digging out of the region’s worst snowstorm in decades.
“I’d rather have the hot than the cold,” Linda Aull, 53, of Mt. Washington said Monday as she strolled, sunscreen in hand, toward Dormont Pool, where people had to wait in line to cool off. “I’m on vacation this week, so I’m just going to enjoy the pool and stay cool.”
That’s a smart start to a week of temperatures expected to hit or crack 90 degrees each day through Friday, said John Darnley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon. The temperature at Pittsburgh International Airport topped out at 91 at 3:43 p.m. yesterday.
Only two days reached 90 degrees at the airport last summer, meaning this summer is predicted to come much closer to the yearly average of eight 90-plus-degree days, Darnley said.
Construction worker Darnell Stevens, 40, said he was feeling the difference as he lugged a load of metal rods at a Strip District construction site near Smallman and 24th streets.
“It’s not your normal summer day,” Stevens said, wiping his brow with the sleeve of his gray T-shirt. “It’s real sticky out here. It takes a while for us to get used to after having such a bad winter.”
A stagnant high-pressure system is creating hot weather.
“That’s making it pretty warm,” Darnley said, noting that Wednesday is expected to be very humid. “We have a Bermuda high just sitting over us.”
The day off for many people to mark Independence Day aided utilities by lowering demand for power to run air-conditioning units. That could change with the return to work.
“If we have a stretch of 90-plus degree days, the usage does go up because of the usage of (air conditioners),” said Joseph Vallarian, a spokesman for Duquesne Light. “And it can cause outages due to overloaded transformers.”
No major outages were reported in the Pittsburgh area, but about 17,000 customers in northern New Jersey lost power about 1 p.m. It was too early to know if the outage was heat-related.
Vallarian suggested customers keep blinds and curtains closed and delay using heat-generated appliances such as ovens, dryers and washers until late in the day.
The state Department of Environmental Protection issued a “code orange” air-quality alert for Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. A warning is in effect through Wednesday for parts of southeastern Allegheny County. Poor air quality and high temperatures pose a danger to those who suffer from lung diseases such as asthma.
Pittsburgh paramedics are temporarily adding additional ambulance units to help patients suffering from the heat, said Tony Weinmann, a city paramedic and union president.
Senior citizens and infants should stay in air-conditioned buildings, if possible, and everyone should avoid heavy exertion outdoors, particularly during midday and early afternoon, said Guillermo Cole, spokesman for the Allegheny County Health Department.
“Fans really don’t help you that much when you’re in the 90s,” Cole said. “Really, a cool bath or a shower is a more effective way to cool off if you don’t have air conditioning.”
City and county senior centers will have extended hours of operation this week. Kathy Burk, a spokeswoman with the county Department of Human Services, urged people to check on elderly neighbors during the heat wave.
A five-day heat wave might seem long to some, but Pittsburgh has endured much longer ones.
The longest on record in Pittsburgh lasted 13 days in 1988, from July 4 to 16. Every day had a high of 90 degrees or more, and the final day tied a record as Pittsburgh’s hottest at 103 degrees.
The last time the temperature at Pittsburgh International Airport hit 91 degrees was June 9, 2008.
It hasn’t reached 94 degrees (Wednesday’s predicted high) since Aug. 13, 2005. That summer had 15 days with temperatures of 90 degrees or higher.
Some are finding reasons to revel in the high heat.
“I love it. I could take this weather every day,” said Linda Denes, 40, of Beechview, an ice cream maker at Bruster’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream on Banksville Road. “Business surely picks up when it gets nice out. The hotter the better.”
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