Syracuse, N.Y. — A blast of hot air will hit Central New York this weekend, threatening a historic heat wave.
Temperatures in Syracuse are expected to be in the 90s on Sunday and Monday, according to the National Weather Service. If it reaches 90 degrees on Tuesday (89 degrees is forecast), it will be Syracuse's fifth heat wave of the summer.
This has never been recorded before. Since official records began in 1903, Syracuse has experienced four heat waves several times during the summer, but never five.
A heat wave is defined as three weeks in a row when temperatures reach at least 90 degrees.
Syracuse has had 17 days with temperatures reaching 90 degrees, compared with the usual nine days throughout the year.
This summer has so far been the hottest on record in Syracuse. The weather leading up to June 25 was just as hot as 2005, ending up being Syracuse's hottest summer ever.
The weather service defines summer as June, July and August.
So far, 2024 is the hottest year on record in Syracuse. Temperatures have been well above normal every month this year, which climatologists attribute to a strong El Niño and the background effects of climate change.
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