Day of Records, Night of Relief

Heat Wave Ends With High of 101; Today Might Dip to Low 90s

Record high temperatures began to subside last night, ending three days of a brutal heat wave that took a toll on humans and machines across the region.

A high of 101 degrees was noted at Reagan National Airport at 2:10 p.m. yesterday, one degree above the record, which was set in 1930. Until a cold front headed into the area last night, the electrical grid was so strained that the agency overseeing power distribution through the mid-Atlantic was considering a mandatory "voltage reduction" to enforce conservation.

But the cold front -- the "cold" was relative, unfortunately, with temperatures hovering around 90 at 10 p.m. -- didn't come without costs. At times last night, about 35,000 homes across the region were without electricity, in part because of scattered thunderstorms with gusts up to 35 mph. In Virginia, areas around Herndon and Alexandria suffered the most outages, and nearly 20,000 residents in the District and Maryland suburbs lost power.

This year's heat wave will be remembered for its inescapable effect on daily life, particularly for senior citizens and other vulnerable people. Thousands of folks went to cooling centers throughout the region. The Baltimore area recorded three heat-related deaths. Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs pushed practice from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday and yesterday, until the temperatures had fallen.

The oppressive temperatures created problems for commuters as well. Heat restrictions slowed trains on MARC and Metro lines, and AAA Mid-Atlantic logged more than 7,400 vehicle rescues Wednesday, nearly 40 percent more than its usual summer day load.

But the cold front, coming from the west, should lower today's high to the low 90s, said James Brotherton, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Humidity levels should also decrease. Temperatures are expected to drop into the upper 80s by the weekend and stay at those levels through next week, he said.

Reflecting heavy air conditioner use, Dominion Virginia Power, Pepco and Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. reported record-breaking electrical use. Pepco spokesman Bob Dobkin said that the high voltage transmission grid has been functioning but that the prolonged heat wave could cause problems. He likened the situation to driving a car at 100 mph for 48 hours.

"The car can do that," he said, "but how long before something breaks down."

Utility officials scrambled to ensure the electrical grid would not break down. A warning of a potential voltage reduction was issued yesterday afternoon by PJM Interconnection, the electric grid operator for 13 mid-Atlantic states and the District. Company spokesman Ray E. Dotter said several power plants in the region suffered boiler leaks, and others had to curtail output for other reasons.

The cutback resulted in a reduction in the reserve cushion of power that PJM likes to maintain. The warning was lifted at 6:50 p.m.

The region was lucky in other ways, too. A Code Red day was averted again as ozone levels stayed out of the unhealthy range. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments initially predicted elevated ozone levels, but they never rose above a Code Yellow, a moderate rating.

Joan Rohlfs, chief of air quality planning for the council of governments, said only a small number of pollutants was moving in from the west. Rohlfs said evidence indicates that the region's residents are taking precautions needed to maintain healthy air.