'Excessive Heat' warning put out for the area Friday. Here's how hot it will feel.

PETERSBURG – If you do not have to go outside Friday, then don’t.

The National Weather Service office in Wakefield has issued an “Excessive Heat Warning” between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Friday. That means we can expect “dangerously hot conditions,” NWS said, with heat-index values around 111 degrees for the Tri-City and metro Richmond areas..

NWS defines “heat index” as “what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature.” Perspiration is the body’s natural cooling process, but when you sweat in areas of high humidity, the rate of perspiration evaporation decreases; therefore, your cooling system does not work as hard.

Friday’s high temperature for the Tri-City area is expected to be 98 degrees. As of 10 a.m., the air temperature was 84 degrees, but with 76% humidity – making it feel about 93 degrees.

And it’s only going to get worse. The air temperature will peak at 98 degrees around 3 p.m., which combined with the humidity will make it the hottest part of the day.

Today’s heat is setting the table for what will likely be a very hot weekend. Saturday’s temperatures will be close to Friday’s at 96 degrees, but there is a 60% chance of showers or thunderstorms that could provide some relief.

Sunday’s high temperature is expected to be in the upper 80s, ushering in more seasonable temperatures to last through most of next week.

It’s all due to a weather pattern that will cook the lower half of the U.S. from West Coast to East. On the West Coast, NWS says the temperatures will be approximately 15-30 degrees warmer than the year average, with 100-degree or more readings from California through to Oregon.

Cooling stations have been set up at the downtown Petersburg bus station on West Washington Street and at 102 S. 10th Ave. in Hopewell.

NWS and health officials recommend the following ways to deal with excessive heat:

• Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors, especially senior citizens.

• Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. Car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.

• If you must work outside, take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments and stay hydrated.

If you feel yourself being overcome by the heat, call for medical assistance immediately.

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: 'Excessive Heat' warning put out for the area Friday. Here's how hot it will feel.