— A large swath of central North Carolina is under an excessive heat warning through Sunday morning as the temperature heat index, or what the air temperature feels like, will reach the triple digits.

WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell said the last time the National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning was July 2017. The Excessive Heat Warning goes into effect Saturday at 10 a.m. and continues until 6 a.m. on Sunday. Heat Index values could reach 115.

"If you thought today was hot, wait until this weekend," she said. "The heat intensifies."

Friday was the 10th day in a row with temperatures at or above 90 degrees. The sweltering heat returns Saturday.

Campbell said the heat index will reach triple digits, with the heat index set to top out over 110 degrees for much of central North Carolina.

There is an end in sight, thankfully. Next week should see temperatures below 90 for a change.

"We are just three days away until our 'cool down,' we're calling it," Campbell said. "Temperatures will be in the 80s and it'll still feel like summer but we won't have the intense heat we've been having."