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It’s gonna be a scorcher

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Illinois

For a while, it felt as though summer had been cancelled in Chicago. Remember that snow in spring? However, beginning on Thursday the temperatures will soar to the high 90s and thunderstorms will make the hot weather even more humid.

The worst of the heat is expected on Friday, but Thursday temperatures will start to rise into the mid-90s. The miserably high temperatures triggered an excessive heat warning, which is in effect until Saturday night. Severe thunderstorms are predicted Thursday morning and Saturday, which won’t provide much relief, but will instead pump up the humidity.

The heat index, which is an estimation of what the temperatures will actually feel like, could hit 104 to 114 each afternoon. A heat warning is issued when the heat index reaches certain dangerous levels—protocols were set after the deadly July 1995 heat wave that killed more than 700 people in Chicago, according to the Tribune.

* Suburbs…

The Village of Palatine is warning residents to take precautions this week as the area will experience dangerous heat Thursday through Saturday, and possibly into Sunday. According to the Village, Governor JB Pritzker is carrying out his Keep Cool Illinois campaign by making more than 120 state facilities available as cooling centers to provide Illinoisans a place to stay cool and comfortable during the season’s hot days.

The Keep Cool Illinois website is here.

* Central Illinois…

According to the National Weather Service in Lincoln, heat indices through Saturday are expected to range from 110 to 112 degrees.

The heat index, said Matt Barnes of the NWS, figures in the air temperature and the amount of humidity in the air.

It is enough, Barnes said, for an excessive heat warning to kick in through Saturday.

The blazing temperatures should be short-lived, Barnes said, with a cold front expected to pass through the area late Saturday evening. There is a chance of thunderstorms late Saturday into Sunday and that will moderate temperatures into the mid to upper 80s, Barnes added.

* Northern Illinois…

In the midst of summer’s high temperatures, DeKalb, Winnebago and Boone Counties are ensuring the public is safe in times of extreme heat.

The Rockford City Market is moving many of its vendors inside the market building and under the Rockford City Market Pavilion on Friday due to the ongoing heatwave.

The DeKalb County Health Department is sharing tips to help the public stay cool, hydrated, and informed.

* Southern Illinois…

The folks at the Massac County Youth Fair, put a lot of effort into keeping livestock cool on hot days.

Peyton Lingle, an exhibitor at the fair says it’s particularly important to keep pigs in a cool environment.

“Pigs don’t sweat so you really do have to have fans and we have a mister thing on our hose so we like to mist them a lot,” Lingle said.

With heat index values in the triple digits again today, the heat becomes a bit of a nuisance for those taking care of the animals, too.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 9:42 am

Comments

When in doubt drink water and stay inside.

Comment by Steve Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 9:46 am
Hydrate.

When you think you don’t need it, hydrate again.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 9:47 am
Getting some relief right now. Downtown Chicago is dark as night and it’s pouring rain.

Comment by GA Watcher Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 9:49 am
Wait, pigs don’t sweat? So I can’t be “sweating like the pig who know he’s for dinner”?
Learn something new every day

Comment by People caring loudly Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 9:54 am
Check on your elderly relatives, neighbors, and friends. Many of the victims of the 1995 heat wave were elderly.

Comment by Bourbon Street Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 9:54 am
Periodic reminder that what killed more than 700 people in 1995 wasn’t necessarily the extreme temps alone, but how long it went on. Folks can manage 95 for a day or two, but we’re looking at three days of this. Check on your people and if they’re fragile in some way, make sure they’re getting breaks in some cooler environments.

Comment by lakeside Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 9:55 am
No, pigs don’t sweat, that is why they wallow. This information courtesy of “Mister Thing”

Comment by d. p. gumby Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:07 am
They just moved the Excessive heat warning for DuPage from noon today to 10 a.m. tomorrow. It’s raining cats and dogs here. That might keep the temperature down today.

Comment by Peorgie Tirebiter Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:22 am
If you are “sweating like a pig” get to a cool place and drink lots o liquids. It’s a sign of possible heatstroke.

Comment by a drop in Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:26 am
Going golfing this afternoon. I will stay plenty hydrated.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:29 am
Heat stroke is a serious medical emergency, so immediate action is required. With that disclaimer, according to this, “Sweating” is not listed as a sign of heat stroke.
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/heat-stroke-symptoms-and-treatment

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:39 am
Fire Hydrants are chasing dogs…it’s that hot.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:39 am
Bears training camp starts one week from today.

Comment by Jose Abreu's Next Homerun Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:41 am
You’d think this was the first time ever that the temperature has gotten above 90 degrees. I think the “heat index”, just like the “wind chill factor” is just a way to make the weather more “newsworthy”

Comment by PrairieDog Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:46 am
It’s so hot the colors on fair protesters’ confederate flags are running. Again.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:47 am
bad luck for pitchfork goers (but great for the water vendors!) moisture-wicking (i.e., not cotton) shirt can help.

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:49 am
Homerun - “Bears training camp starts one week from today.”

Should be cooler by then, but probably still pretty warm out. Players will have plenty of water and stuff, but if you’re going to watch, be sure to take water for yourself, and find some shade if you can. Go Bears!

Comment by DoingHumanThings Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:53 am
Skeptic,

FYI having seen heat stroke, it’s when you notice someone is no longer sweating that they are in the most danger.

Had a kid in boot camp who ended up not hydrating because of a UTI seeing someone seisure because of heat isn’t cool. (We ended up stripping and hosing him down w garden hoses til the Corpsman arrived)

Comment by Mason born Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:57 am
“someone is no longer sweating” That’s what I recall being a significant indicator, but (a) I’m not a doctor, and (b) the source I referenced didn’t mention it, so I didn’t want to say something and be wrong.

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:59 am
When you stop sweating…that’s when to stop…Don’t drop.

July…Illinois…hot…and sticky.

Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 11:13 am
OMG
Capt Fax goes all CodeRed/Tom Skilling on us.
It is mid July in the Midwest what do you expect? Next thing you’ll be runnin’ caption contests with Dan Hynes and Steve Brown

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 12:13 pm
= OMG
Capt Fax goes all CodeRed/Tom Skilling on us.=

Settle down, Deputy. It reads like the heat is getting to you.

Comment by Dirty Red Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 12:51 pm
Remember one really hot day at the Cub Scout day camp when we cooked about 280 foil dinners for lunch with the help of some Boy Scouts. Once everyone was served, I left the Boy Scouts to finish cleanup (they were lots of help and rotating jobs), and walked back up to the lodge. Our medical officer saw me and wanted me inside in the A/C. I refused because I could have gotten a stroke cooling off too fast and just sat on the shaded porch cooling off. Let the med officer take my vitals with a promise he wouldn’t tell my doctor … you don’t want to know my BP that day, and I had been drinking water pretty consistently.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 3:21 pm
Electricity was off in some buildings at Illinois State U today. The big chiller plant was not able to function at peak times. Ameren has the power back on but reports not sure what caused the outages. Hope to see Shakespeare tonight with Caesar being performed inside the Center for Performing Arts as scheduled. Only play not to be presented outside at Ewing Cultural Center this season.

Comment by Nearly Normal Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 3:52 pm
@PrairieDog 1046 — If that’s what you think, then you’re thinking nonsense. Anyone who’s spent any time in serious activity outdoors knows that the heat index and wind chill factors are very, very real. Read –mason born’s– post re heat stroke.

Comment by Flapdoodle Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 6:24 pm