Heat Advisory from 12 Noon to 7 PM Thursday Across Northern Virginia

The heatwave across the area continues Thursday. The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory that will be in place Thursday from 12 noon to 7 p.m. across Northern Virginia.

Temperatures will climb once again into the mid-90s (the official forecast says 97 degrees for Thursday) with a heat index value of around 105 degrees. A "heat dome" in the area is contributing to the high temps this week.

Relief may be on the way on the weekend: There's a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms Saturday. Sunday's high is expected to be 84 degrees, according to the NWS.

Avoiding Heat-Related Illnesses
With the high heat and humidity, there's a risk for heat-related illnesses for anyone without air-conditioning or who are outdoors for an extended period of time, the NWS suggests. Anyone going outside should wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and drink plenty of water. Anyone working outside should take frequent rest breaks in shade or air-conditioning.

The air quality Thursday will be Code Orange for Northern Virginia, which means air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for children, the elderly, and anyone with asthma, heart disease or any lung disease.

Places to Cool Off in Northern Virginia 

• Alexandria: Swimming pools, libraries, community recreation centers, Landmark Mall
• Arlington: All public libraries, community centers, parks with water features, Ocean Dunes Waterpark, Pentagon City Mall
• Fairfax County: All libraries, community and recreation centers, senior centers, water parks, Tysons Corner Center

• Drink plenty of fluids: Drink 2-4 glasses of cool fluids each hour.
  
  
• Do not drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages because they dehydrate the body.
  
  
• Keep cool indoors: If you can, stay in an air-conditioned area. Resting for just two hours in air conditioning can significantly reduce heat-related illnesses.
  
  
• Give your body a break: Heat is stressful on your body. Limit physical activity until your body adjusts to the heat.
  
  
• Eat light meals, avoiding high-protein foods because they increase metabolic heat.
  
  
• Don’t take salt tablets unless directed by a doctor.
  
  
• Wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn. Sunburn makes it more difficult for your body to cool off.
  
  
• Never leave children or pets unattended in a car—not even for a few minutes. Even with the windows slightly open, the temperature in a car on a 93-degree day can soar to 125 degrees in just 20 minutes and approximately 140 degrees in 40 minutes.