Good morning, Maryland!
Wednesday will be one of the hottest days of the current stretch, with dangerous heat expanding across nearly the entire state. Most communities east of the higher mountains will climb into the upper 90s or around 100°, while parts of the Baltimore-Washington corridor and Eastern Shore could reach or exceed the century mark.
Heat index values will generally reach 100–105° across much of Central Maryland, with 105–109° possible on portions of the Eastern Shore. Heat Advisories are in effect across most of Maryland from late morning through 8 PM. The day will otherwise remain predominantly sunny and dry, although wildfire smoke aloft may give the sky a hazy or milky appearance in some areas.
Straight to the Point
☀️ Morning: Dry, mostly sunny and already warming quickly.
🥵 Afternoon: Dangerous heat statewide. Highs from the upper 80s in Garrett County to around 100–102° in some of the hottest locations.
🌡️ Feels like: Generally 100–105° across many populated areas, with localized heat index values of 105–109° on the Eastern Shore.
🌫️ Air quality: Hazy skies are possible from Canadian wildfire smoke aloft, and Code Orange Air Quality Alerts are in effect for portions of Maryland, including the Baltimore-Washington metro area.
🌙 Evening: Dry and very warm. Temperatures remain in the 80s well after sunset, with some urban and waterfront communities staying near 80° overnight.
Morning Commute: 5 AM–9 AM
The Wednesday morning commute will be quiet and dry across Maryland.
Temperatures will begin the day in the 60s across the western mountains, with upper 60s and 70s across most of Central Maryland, Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore. Communities near the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coast will have the warmest start.
Skies will be mostly clear to sunny, and no widespread rain or thunderstorms are expected. Travel conditions should remain favorable statewide, but temperatures will rise quickly after sunrise.
The Heat Advisory begins at 10 AM across portions of the Upper Eastern Shore and generally 11 AM across much of the remainder of the advisory area, continuing until 8 PM.
Daytime Forecast
Wednesday’s primary weather story is simple: dangerous heat.
A strong upper-level ridge will support near-record temperatures across portions of the Mid-Atlantic. National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington expects most locations east of the Alleghenies to reach the upper 90s or lower 100s, while the Eastern Shore will also experience widespread temperatures near 100°.
Western Maryland
Garrett County
Garrett County will remain the coolest part of Maryland, but it will still be unusually warm for the mountains.
Expect highs generally in the mid to upper 80s, with Oakland forecast near 87°. Skies will remain mostly sunny, and the day should stay dry. Heat index values will be lower than elsewhere in Maryland, but prolonged outdoor activity will still become uncomfortable during the afternoon.
Allegany County
Cumberland and the lower elevations of Allegany County will be significantly hotter, with afternoon temperatures generally reaching the lower to middle 90s.
Central and eastern Allegany County are included in the broader heat concern, with the hottest valley locations feeling considerably warmer than the higher elevations.
Washington County
Hagerstown and surrounding communities will climb into the upper 90s, with the official point forecast near 99° and heat index values around 102°.
A Heat Advisory is in effect from 11 AM to 8 PM.
North-Central Maryland
Frederick County
Frederick, Urbana, Brunswick and surrounding communities will experience dangerous afternoon heat.
Highs are expected to reach around 99–100°, with heat index values around 104–105°. Sunshine will dominate, and widespread rain is not expected.
Carroll County
Westminster, Eldersburg, Hampstead and nearby communities can expect highs in the upper 90s, generally around 97–98°.
Heat index values may reach the lower 100s during peak heating.
Baltimore Metro
Baltimore City and Baltimore County
Baltimore will be among the hottest parts of Maryland.
Afternoon temperatures are forecast to reach around 100–101°, with heat index values potentially reaching 105–106°. The combination of intense sunshine, high temperatures and the urban heat island will make outdoor activity particularly stressful during the afternoon.
The Heat Advisory remains in effect through 8 PM.
Howard County
Columbia, Ellicott City and surrounding communities will reach around 100°, with heat index values near 104–105°.
Plan strenuous outdoor activities for the earliest part of the day whenever possible.
Anne Arundel County
Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Pasadena, Crofton and Severna Park will be extremely hot.
Inland communities may approach 100°, while Annapolis is forecast near 98° with a heat index around 103°. The Chesapeake Bay will provide only limited relief from the heat.
Harford County
Bel Air, Abingdon, Aberdeen, Havre de Grace and Edgewood will see highs in the upper 90s to near 100°.
Heat index values could reach 105° or higher in some communities.
Central Maryland and the Washington Suburbs
Montgomery County
Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Bethesda and Silver Spring will experience dangerous heat, with highs generally around 100–101°.
Heat index values may reach 104–105° during the afternoon.
Prince George’s County
Bowie, Laurel, College Park, Greenbelt, Hyattsville and Upper Marlboro will be among Maryland’s hottest locations.
Highs are expected near 100–102°, with heat index values around 105°.
Southern Maryland
Charles County
Waldorf, La Plata and surrounding communities will reach the middle to upper 90s, with dangerous heat developing during the afternoon.
Calvert County
Prince Frederick, Dunkirk, Chesapeake Beach and Lusby will also climb into the middle to upper 90s, although immediate waterfront communities may run slightly cooler.
St. Mary’s County
Leonardtown, California and Lexington Park are forecast to reach the middle 90s, with heat index values near 100–105° in the most humid locations.
A Heat Advisory is in effect across the region through 8 PM.
Eastern Shore
The Eastern Shore will be one of the hottest areas of Maryland on Wednesday, with widespread temperatures in the upper 90s to around 100° and dangerous heat index values.
Upper Eastern Shore
Cecil County
Elkton, North East and Rising Sun will experience a very hot and sunny day, with temperatures approaching the upper 90s.
Kent County
Chestertown is forecast to reach around 100°, with heat index values potentially approaching 110°.
Queen Anne’s County
Centreville, Stevensville, Grasonville and Kent Island will climb into the upper 90s to near 100°, with heat index values potentially reaching the upper 100s.
Caroline County
Denton, Federalsburg and surrounding communities will experience highs near 100° and heat index values potentially reaching around 106° or higher.
Talbot County
Easton and surrounding communities are forecast near 99°, with heat index values around 105°.
Heat Advisories remain in effect across the Upper Eastern Shore through 8 PM.
Mid and Lower Eastern Shore
Dorchester County
Cambridge and inland communities will reach the upper 90s, with heat index values around 105° in some areas.
Wicomico County
Salisbury is forecast to reach around 100°, with a heat index potentially reaching 107°.
Somerset County
Princess Anne and surrounding inland communities will reach the upper 90s to around 100°.
Worcester County
Snow Hill, Berlin and Pocomoke City will generally reach the middle to upper 90s, with heat index values reaching the lower 100s.
Ocean City and Assateague
Even the immediate Atlantic coast will not escape the heat.
A westerly flow will limit the cooling influence of the ocean, allowing Ocean City to reach the lower to middle 90s, with heat index values around 100°. NWS Wakefield notes that the offshore flow will allow unusually hot conditions to reach the coast.
Rain and Thunderstorm Outlook
For Maryland, Wednesday is expected to remain overwhelmingly dry.
Strong high pressure and warm air aloft will suppress most thunderstorm development across Central Maryland, Western Maryland, Southern Maryland and the Lower Eastern Shore.
NWS Mount Holly is monitoring a limited afternoon and evening storm risk farther north in its forecast area, but its latest guidance indicates that any convection would likely struggle to progress far enough south to significantly affect Maryland. For most of the state, the heat—not thunderstorms—will be the main weather concern.
Air Quality and Wildfire Smoke
Some Marylanders may notice a milky or hazy appearance to the sky.
Smoke from wildfires in Canada is expected to remain primarily aloft during the day, although air quality concerns are also increasing. Code Orange Air Quality Alerts have been issued for portions of Maryland, including the Baltimore-Washington metro area.
A Code Orange alert means air pollution may become unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults and people with heart or lung conditions. Those individuals should consider reducing prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity—especially when combined with the dangerous heat.
Evening Forecast
Wednesday evening will remain dry, very warm and uncomfortable.
The Heat Advisory continues until 8 PM in most affected areas, and temperatures will remain in the 90s during the early evening before slowly falling through the 80s.
Overnight lows will generally fall into:
- Upper 60s to lower 70s in the western mountains
- Middle to upper 70s across much of Central Maryland
- Upper 70s to around 80° in Baltimore, the Washington suburbs and near the Chesapeake Bay
- Middle to upper 70s across much of the Eastern Shore
Skies will remain mostly clear to partly cloudy, although wildfire smoke aloft may continue to create hazy skies.
Chesapeake Bay and Marine Forecast
A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect until 7 AM for portions of the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay and Tangier Sound due to southwest winds and gusts.
Conditions should improve after the early morning advisory expires, with no widespread daytime marine hazards expected. Boaters should still prepare for intense heat and strong sun exposure, especially on open water where shade may be limited.
Heat Safety
Wednesday’s heat can become dangerous quickly.
💧 Drink water frequently throughout the day.
🕐 Limit strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest hours, generally late morning through early evening.
🌳 Take frequent breaks in shade or air conditioning.
🚗 Never leave children or pets inside a parked vehicle.
👵 Check on older relatives, neighbors and anyone without reliable air conditioning.
🐕 Keep pets off hot pavement whenever possible and provide plenty of fresh water.
Heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke. Anyone showing signs of confusion, loss of consciousness or other severe heat illness needs immediate emergency medical attention.
Looking Ahead
The heat does not immediately end after Wednesday.
Thursday will remain very hot across Maryland, and additional heat headlines may be needed in portions of the state. Some locations could again approach 100°, while a small chance for an isolated afternoon or evening thunderstorm begins to return in parts of Maryland.
More meaningful thunderstorm chances are expected to increase toward the weekend as the dominant ridge begins to weaken.
Bottom Line
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 will be a high-impact heat day across Maryland.
Most of the state will reach the upper 90s to around 100°, with a few of the hottest locations potentially reaching 101–102°. Heat index values will commonly reach 100–105°, with 105–109° possible across portions of the Eastern Shore.
The morning commute will be dry and quiet, the afternoon will be dangerously hot and mostly sunny, and the evening will remain very warm with little immediate relief after sunset.
Take the heat seriously, stay hydrated and check on anyone who may be especially vulnerable.
Stay with MD Weather Alerts throughout the day for updated heat alerts, air quality information and any important forecast changes across Maryland. ☀️🥵
Forecast based on the latest official guidance issued Tuesday evening by the National Weather Service offices in Baltimore/Washington, Mount Holly, Wakefield and Pittsburgh.