Heat sets record for date in Philly, and surf is mighty warm

With a high of 95, Philadelphia comfortably (or uncomfortably) set a record Wednesday for a Sept. 5, besting the 92 of Sept. 5, 1982.

Granted, that 92 standard was low-hanging fruit and a climatological anomaly — the record for a Sept. 7 is 102 set back in 1881, a year in which the United States ended up with three presidents — but this has been an impressive spell of heat.

Tuesday's high of 93 tied the record for a Sept. 4.

Meanwhile the surf along the Jersey coast continues to mimic bath water. Late Wednesday the sea-surface temperature off Atlantic City read 80.9, and 82.9 at Cape May.

A reading of 84 at a buoy about 30 miles southeast of Cape May was the highest at that site in records dating to 1984, said Jim Eberwine, former marine specialist at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

One more day of heat is expected Thursday, with temperatures cresting in the low 90s and heat indexes near triple figures, but major changes are due.

Showers are likely Friday, when temperatures might not get past 80, and the government's Storm Prediction Center has the region under a "marginal risk" for severe storms.

Then more shower chances are in the forecasts through Wednesday of next week.