Heat Advisory issued for Charlotte area. Heat index may hit 106 degrees, NWS says
A Heat Advisory has been issued for the Charlotte region from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday, when the heat index could get as high as 106 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
An Air Quality Alert is also in place for Wednesday, due to ground level ozone concentrations reaching unhealthy standards, NWS forecasters say.
“Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” forecasters said.
“Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. Car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.”
The alerts were issued as Charlotte faces a days-long heat wave that threatens set a record high for the Fourth of July holiday.
The current July 4 record is 99 degrees, set in 1993. If all goes as expected, Charlotte will hit 101 degrees on Saturday, but the humidity will make it feel closer to 105, forecasters say.
Climate data shows July is consistently one of the hottest months of the year for the region, with 29 of 31 days having record highs of 100 degrees and higher.
The heat is expected to be dangerous through the weekend, with highs around 100 degrees Friday and Saturday, and 98 on Sunday, the NWS says.
Lows at night will be in the upper 70s, which means “little to no overnight relief affects,” forecasters say.
The three-day holiday weekend means millions of people are facing an elevated risk of heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke, experts say.
Temperatures will actually feel hotter outside due to high humidity, which is known as the heat index.
“The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature,” the National Weather Service says.
“When the body gets too hot, it begins to perspire or sweat to cool itself off. If the perspiration is not able to evaporate, the body cannot regulate its temperature. Evaporation is a cooling process. ... When the atmospheric moisture content (i.e. relative humidity) is high, the rate of evaporation from the body decreases. In other words, the human body feels warmer in humid conditions.”
This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 7:37 AM with the headline "Heat Advisory issued for Charlotte area. Heat index may hit 106 degrees, NWS says."