N.C. to get relief from heat, not humidity

The National Weather Service forecasts less brutal heat throughout the region Thursday, though it's still likely to be uncomfortably humid.

Thursday's high in Raleigh is expected to be 93 degrees.

"The relief we feel today will come from the additional cloud cover in place, so it should not be quite so hot," said WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. "We will also see the humidity levels jump today, so expect to sweat more if you are working outside."

Friday will be partly cloudy, hot and humid with a few afternoon storms and highs in the mid to upper 90s.

"With the additional humidity (Friday) afternoon, we do expect the heat index values to reach 100 degrees," Gardner said. "A few showers and storms are possible ... but we should see a better chance of rain (Saturday) with a cold front moving into the state."

Raleigh reached 102 degrees Wednesday, surpassing the previous record of 100 in 1977. A 100-degree reading at noon Wednesday in Trenton, N.J., broke a 17-year-old record. Newark, N.J., hit triple digits for the fourth straight day, something that hadn't happened since 1993.

Eastern cities have been roasting. Heat waves are more oppressive in big cities because concrete, asphalt and steel absorb more solar energy during the day and are slow to release it at night.