Cherry Hill Schools Suspend Outdoor Activities Due To Excessive Heat

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Back-to-school week will remain in school. The Cherry Hill district suspended outdoor activities through Friday because of excessive heat in the forecast.

During that time, all students in the Cherry Hill Township School District will remain indoors, in air conditioning, officials said. Athletics will follow the heat policy of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Tuesday marked the first day of school for students.

Heat index values in Cherry Hill could reach 102 degrees on Wednesday, with a high of 96 for the actual temperature, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). A heat advisory remains in effect until 8 p.m.

"Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors," the advisory says. "Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances."

Sweltering temperatures will persist before beginning to cool down on Friday, when there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms, the NWS predicts.

Here's the National Weather Service's latest forecast for Cherry Hill:

• Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 96. Heat index values as high as 102. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
• Wednesday night: Clear, with a low around 74. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
• Thursday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 96. Heat index values as high as 100. Light southwest wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
• Thursday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Friday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Saturday: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.