By Greg Jordan, Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Sweltering summertime temperatures pushing the 90 degree mark are expected to greet much of West Virginia and Southwest Virginia this coming week.
The National Weather Service offices in Charleston and Blacksburg, Va. have issued hazardous weather outlooks for much of West Virginia and Southwest Virginia. A heat wave described as prolonged and potentially dangerous has been forecasted for McDowell County and Buchanan County, Va. In McDowell County, temperatures as high as 94 degrees have been forecasted for Juneteenth on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
The Bluefield Union Mission had a supply of fans Friday for the people who need them, but the mission is happy to accept more used fans, said Executive Director Craig Hammond.
“I noticed that the supply of fans has dwindled, but not only have we given some away, we’ve actually received some,” he said. “I suspect the supply will go quickly. I was looking at the forecast and it doesn’t look like any break for at least a week.”
Meteorologist Robert Beasley with the National Weather Service in Blacksburg Va. said that the Bluefield area would likely have temperatures in the low to mid-80s. Lewisburg and Beckley would be within this temperature range, too, due to their high elevations.