Baltimore faces 100-degree heat, advisory adds to safety concerns

Temperatures in Baltimore are expected to reach 100 degrees, with humidity making it feel as hot as 105 degrees. WBAL-TV 11 News forecast the Baltimore-area heat index at 110 degrees, raising the risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion as more people lean on cooling systems.

The hardest-hit parts of the city are often the places with the least shade: Downtown Baltimore, Harbor East, the Inner Harbor and neighborhood business strips where pavement holds heat long after sunset. More than 86,000 Baltimore residents face extreme heat because of the city landscape, and about 45% of the city’s population lives in areas where urban heat islands add at least 8 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a Baltimore urban heat mapping project.

Baltimore City has leaned on its Code Red Extreme Heat system multiple times already. The city issued an alert from Wednesday through Saturday in a June 30 release, and the Baltimore City Health Department later declared a Code Red Extreme Heat Alert for July 15 and July 16. The response includes cooling centers, while the Maryland Department of Health maintains a 2026 cooling-centers contact list.

The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services’ FY26 Code Red plan coordinates with the Baltimore City Health Department, the Office of Emergency Management and Continuum of Care providers to share cooling-center information and cold-water access points for residents experiencing homelessness. Maryland Occupational Safety and Health treats extreme heat as a workplace hazard, and outdoor workers, older adults, young children and people with medical conditions face the greatest strain when temperatures climb.