It's safe to say Aiken will see its hottest temperatures so far this year heading into next week, meteorologists said Wednesday.
Earlier this week, Aiken's temperatures reached a high of about 87 degrees with thunderstorms also hitting the area. Wednesday and Thursday, the region brushed 90 degrees with about a 50 percent chance of rain for Thursday.
Leading into Friday, Jeff Linton, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Columbia, said temperatures are expected to stay in the lower 90s. However, the threats of thunderstorms are expected to subside and be replaced with strong, high pressure extending from the Atlantic and Southeastern states.
The high pressure will help suppress cloudiness and thunderstorms, but will be responsible for the upcoming dry and hot weather, Linton said.
As a result, Friday is projected to see a high of 94 degrees with a low of 71 degrees with only a 10 percent chance of rain, according to the Weather Channel website.
Officials are projecting an even hotter day Saturday with a high of 96 degrees. On Sunday, the high is expected to reach 98 degrees with a zero percent chance of rain.
"This is the warmest we've seen so far, so it's safe to say we're getting into the hottest part of the year," Linton said.
Monday, temperatures are expected to stay in the mid-90s, but by Wednesday, Aiken is expected to peak at 99 degrees, which would be the hottest day of the year to date. From there, temperatures are expected to stay in the high 90s through next Friday leading into the weekend.
Linton said the best defenses against the hot weather are to stay hydrated with plenty of water and to wear light-colored clothing while in the sun.
"Also, people should spend as much time in air-conditioned spaces as possible," he said.
Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter with the Aiken Standard. He joined the paper in June 2013. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University.