As a heat wave continued to sear the East Coast, the Lynchburg area again endured temperatures on Friday in the high 90s, with heat indices well into the 100s.
Lynchburg’s thermometers hit triple digits, with National Weather Service numbers showing a high of 100 degrees.
By 6 p.m., the city’s heat index was above 106.
The National Weather Service continued its heat advisory for the area today, warning of dangerously hot conditions, and urging residents to avoid outdoor exposure if possible.
The advisory lasts from noon to 8 p.m. today, cautioning that heat index values could reach 110.
Despite the temperatures that climbed to only two degrees from the record for Friday’s date, no one had taken advantage of the cooling shelter set up at Grace Hill Baptist Church in Appomattox County.
And doctors in Lynchburg General Hospital’s emergency room said as of about 4 p.m., only two people had come in with heat-related illnesses.
Benita Ripley, recreation services manager for Lynchburg's Parks and Recreation Department, said few people have taken advantage of the city's two cooling centers, particularly the one on Wiggington Road.
The Jefferson Park Center had a good number of visitors on Friday, but overall visitors to the air-conditioned buildings were “not as many as we anticipated.”
Appalachian Power spokesperson John Shepelwich said power usage was nowhere close to record demand.
The record, over 6,700 megawatts in a day, was set in August of 2007.
He estimated that by the end of Friday, the day’s usage would stand at about 6,400 megawatts, a number he expected to stay level through today.
Today’s forecast calls for a high of 99 degrees, before dropping to about 94 degrees on Sunday.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement