Charlotte starts off clear and muggy this morning, with temperatures sitting in the 70s and plenty of sun lined up for later. Most neighborhoods should climb to around 92 degrees this afternoon, with a light west-northwest breeze around 2 mph. A Code Orange Air Quality Action Day is in effect for Mecklenburg County, so people with asthma, heart or lung disease, older adults and young children are urged to limit long or intense outdoor activity.
Air Quality Alert And Health Tips
The NC Division of Air Quality has called a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ground-level ozone from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15. According to the Air Quality Portal, people in sensitive groups should dial back lengthy or heavy outdoor activity this afternoon, hold off on mowing or other gas-powered yardwork, and cut down on vehicle idling. If you have breathing issues, keep quick-relief inhalers close and shift workouts or outdoor chores indoors until ozone levels ease later in the day.
Hot Stretch Starts Thursday
The National Weather Service says the heat starts to crank up Thursday, with a high near 96 and heat index values that could reach about 103. Friday is expected to be even hotter, with highs near 97. Across the Piedmont, heat index values between 100 and 105 degrees are possible from Thursday through Sunday, so it is smart to schedule strenuous work or outdoor plans for the cooler parts of the day. A slow-moving front will bump up afternoon storm chances this weekend, with scattered showers and thunderstorms most likely from Saturday afternoon into Sunday.
Tonight And Short-Term Outlook
Tonight stays mostly clear with a low near 71 and a light west-southwest breeze. There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms late Friday into early Saturday, mainly after 8 p.m., and any storms that pop up could bring brief heavy rain and gusty winds. Keep an eye on local radar and have a backup indoor plan if you are counting on outdoor events late Friday or into the weekend.
How To Plan Today
If you need to be outside, aim for earlier in the morning, bring water, and try to avoid hard exertion from about 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Public pools, libraries and recreation centers have been reliable cooling options during recent heat spells, so if anyone in your household is vulnerable, consider spending the hottest hours in air-conditioned space. This story will be updated if air quality alerts or heat advisories are adjusted later in the week.
