Publication Date July 26, 2016 | Delaware Online

Record heat blasts all of Delaware

United States
The University of Delaware Environmental Observing System captured these air temperatures shortly before 5 p.m. Some of Delaware's hotspots: The Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Ellendale, Newark and the Delaware State Fair grounds in Harrington. Image: University of Delaware DEOS
The University of Delaware Environmental Observing System captured these air temperatures shortly before 5 p.m. Some of Delaware's hotspots: The Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Ellendale, Newark and the Delaware State Fair grounds in Harrington. Image: University of Delaware DEOS

Temperatures in northern Delaware rose to the mid- and upper 90s Monday, but it felt like it was much hotter with a heat index that eclipsed 105 degrees in some areas.

At New Castle County Airport, the heat index was 108 degrees at 1 p.m. And by 5 p.m. at the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles lanes near Delaware City, it felt like it was 108.9. The air temperature was a sultry 95.3.

So far, this month, there have been 12 days where temperatures peaked at 90 degrees or above at New Castle County Airport, according to data gathered at the National Climatic Data Center and National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey. Monday's high of 96 at 3:37 p.m. set a record for the day. The normal high temperature for this time of year is 86 degrees.

This current heat wave, which started July 22, is forecast to linger through at least Thursday.

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One of the hottest places in the state Monday was at the Delaware State Fair Grounds in Harrington, where at 5 p.m. it was 97 degrees. It felt like it was 104.8. The dewpoint, a measure of just how sticky it feels, was 71.3, according to the University of Delaware Environmental Observing System