Sunday was the start of the first heat wave of 2026, and it will feel more like August than May for the first part of this week.
Dress comfortably, stay hydrated and take special care of pets.
It will be hot to very hot through Wednesday. Each day we will be chasing new record highs in the low to mid-90s. Overnight lows will also be quite warm in the upper 60s and low 70s.
CBS News Philadelphia
With all this heat, an isolated shower or storm is possible each afternoon and evening. You may not need an umbrella until late in the day Wednesday as a cold front moves through with scattered, gusty thunderstorms.
Temperatures will plummet nearly 30 degrees behind Wednesday’s front, leaving temperatures Thursday through Memorial Day in the mid-60s to low 70s with the chance of passing showers each day.
In the Philadelphia area, a heat wave is a stretch of three or more consecutive days in the 90s.
So, while we feel like summer now, plan on a cooler and possibly wetter holiday weekend.
CBS News Philadelphia
NEXT big changes
- A cold front brings gusty storms later in the day Wednesday. It’s too early to gauge the severe potential, but it is possible.
- Behind that cold front, much cooler air arrives, and highs will drop nearly 30 degrees in just 24 hours to the upper 60s on Thursday. That’s below our normal high in the mid-70s this time of year.
Here’s the 7-day forecast:
CBS News Philadelphia
Monday: Record heat? High 94, low 65.
Tuesday: Chasing records. High 97, low 70.
Wednesday: Hot, late storms. High 96, low 74.
Thursday: Much cooler. High 66, low 61.
Friday: Chance of showers. High 67, low 55.
Saturday: Chance of showers. High 68, low 53.
Sunday: Chance of storms. High 73, low 60.
More from CBS News