Heat wave at its worst Friday, ends this weekend - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC

Heat wave at its worst Friday, ends this weekend

For the sixth consecutive day, high temperatures will easily exceed 90 degrees in Springfield, potentially reaching up to 100 degrees in a few parts of Hampden County. 

An excessive heat warning has been issued for eastern Hampden County through Friday afternoon, with the rest of Western Massachusetts under a heat advisory.

The National Weather Service said that high temperatures in the upper-90s and dewpoints in the lower-70s could push the heat index as high as 110 degrees in Hampden County, easily the highest it's been in Western Massachusetts so far this year.

Bradley International Airport, the official climate station for the Pioneer Valley, could also see a record high temperature on Friday afternoon. The current record is 100 degrees set in 1991.  Forecasts expect the high to be very close to triple-digits there as well.

This is the fourth heat wave of the year recorded at Bradley, which has only averaged 2.2 heat waves per year dating back to 1949. The most heat waves ever recorded in one year for the Pioneer Valley is seven.

Fortunately, the heat will ease up heading into the weekend. A strong cold front is expected to push towards New England on Saturday afternoon. For the last several days, NOAA's Storms Prediction Center in Oklahoma has targeted Western Massachusetts for being at risk for severe thunderstorms on Saturday.

High temperatures may get close to 90 degrees on Saturday before thunderstorms develop, but much drier, seasonal air will be returning to the region on Sunday. High temperatures into early next week will be staying in the lower-80s under mostly sunny skies, with overnight low temperatures comfortably near 60 degrees.

Copyright 2013 WSHM (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.