‘Heat wave’ about to hit the Triangle. Here’s how hot & how long it will last
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The Triangle will see several days of temperatures reaching the 90s this week.
- Forecasters estimate a peak temperature of 96 degrees on Saturday, April 18.
- All of North Carolina is in drought, with 16% of the state in extreme drought.
It’s hot. And dry.
The Triangle is getting an early peak at summer with temperatures expected to hit the 90s this week, according to the National Weather Service.
“We’re likely to have going to have several days of areas reaching the 90s, upwards of 20 degrees above normal,” said Nick Luchetti, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, during a Monday weather briefing.
The temperature starts climbing on Wednesday, April 15, expected to hit a high of low 90s in Durham and Raleigh, according to the NWS. The warming will continue until Sunday with an estimated high of 96 on Saturday, April 18. That would beat the record of 95 degrees at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in 1896.
“You want to take caution,” Luchetti said. “And if you’re spending a lot of time outside, hydrate, spend time in the shade, those kinds of things.”
NC Labor Commissioner Luke Farley also urged employees, especially those working outside in the construction, agriculture and landscaping industries, to take precaution to prevent heat-related illnesses like heat stroke.
“This week marks our first significant heat spike of the season, but it will not be the last,” Farley said. “With temperatures expected to climb steadily into the 90s, this is an important reminder for everyone working outdoors or in hot environments. Heat stress is preventable. Remember these three tools on the job: rest, water and shade.”
North Carolina drought conditions
All of North Carolina is under a drought with 16% of the state under an “extreme drought.”
“Unfortunately, obviously, we’ve been in a pretty dense drought here, and that doesn’t look like there’s much relief until possibly on Sunday, when a front is supposed to be push through the entire area,” Luchetti said.
There could be some rain on Sunday with that front, but it’s “nowhere near a drought buster in any way,” he said.
The state issued a ban on all opening burning across the state due to high risk of wildfires.
This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 2:06 PM.
