The Nation - News from Aug. 14, 1988

A heat wave blamed for at least 38 deaths held its grip east of the Rockies and in the Southwest, and forecasters said no relief was in sight even though rain doused the plains. Heat records were tied or broken in at least a dozen cities from Michigan to as far north as Portland, Me., where a stretch of 13 consecutive days of high temperatures in the 80s or 90s equaled a record established in 1980, the National Weather Service said. A 97-degree reading at Washington, D.C., prompted city officials to issue a weekend alert and warn elderly people to stay inside. Among records set were: Alpena, Mich., 93; Atlantic City, N.J., 95; Baltimore, 99; Binghamton, N.Y., 90; Hartford, Conn., 97; Greer, S.C., 93, and New York City, 96.