Western Pennsylvania is in store for its first official heat wave in three years.

Temperatures are forecast to exceed 90 degrees on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service. The region likely will miss hitting 90 today by only a couple of degrees.

The last time the Pittsburgh region endured such a stretch of hot days came in July 2020, said Jeff Verszyla, a meteorologist with Tribune-Review news partner WTAE-TV.

That also would qualify as a meteorological heat wave, which is defined as three consecutive days when temperatures reach 90 degrees or hotter, Verszyla said.

“Normal temperatures this time of year are highs of 82 to 83 and low temperatures usually in the low- to mid-60s,” said weather service meteorologist Lee Hendricks. “This is well above normal, particularly from Wednesday on.

“We’re just in a pattern where we have a very strong flow of air from the southwest that’s continuing to pump warm air into the region.”

It’s common for the region to experience pockets of unusually warm weather in July, Verszyla said.

Typically, Western Pennsylvania gets about 10 days that exceed 90 degrees during a summer. This year, the region has had only one, he said.

While oppressively hot temperatures are gripping many parts of the country, Western Pennsylvania has largely been spared such extremes.

The region’s June temperatures were about 3 degrees cooler than average, and July is about a half-degree above average so far, Verszyla said.

Temperatures are expected to reach 92, 93 and 94 degrees on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, respectively, according to the weather service. Tuesday’s high is forecast to hit 88 degrees. There is a 30% chance of rain Tuesday as well as Wednesday and Thursday nights.

The heat index will creep into the upper 90s on Thursday and 100 on Friday.

The forecast is showing temperatures in the mid- to high 80s Saturday and Sunday, with a chance of rain both days.

“If you have a pool handy,” Hendricks said, “it looks like a great period of time.”

• Local experts advise against cranking down the thermostat during high heat • Hot weather expected next 2 days, new record possible Saturday

Hendricks and Verszyla urged people to be cautious as temperatures soar.

Those spending time outside should consider wearing light colors and hats, Hendricks said, and it’s best to avoid strenuous outdoor activities during peak temperatures in the afternoons.

People also should be careful about how long they leave pets outdoors, he said. Verszyla also reminded people not to leave people or pets in cars, which can “heat up very rapidly.”

It’s imperative to remain hydrated, Verszyla said.

Next week’s forecast shows more unseasonably warm days, although Hendricks said forecasts that far out aren’t always completely reliable.

“We’re looking at no significant change, honestly,” he said. “We’re still going to primarily remain above normal.”

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