Portions of Tampa Bay under heat advisory Wednesday

A heat advisory was issued for inland parts of the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday as the heat index was expected to stretch as high as 110.

The rest of the week is going to stay hot as well, with highs in the mid- to high 90s and minimal rain chances.

Areas under a heat advisory Wednesday included inland Pasco and Hillsborough counties, along with cities like Zephyrhills and Plant City. The heat advisory was scheduled to last from noon until 6 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

While temperatures are expected to flirt with 100-degree heat, Austen Flannery, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay office, said on Wednesday that he was uncertain there will be more heat advisories this week.

There are competing forces at work, Flannery said. Because temperatures are so warm, humidity might actually decrease, causing the feels-like temperature, or the heat index, to cool a bit.

The heat index refers to how the temperature feels to the human body when combined with the air temperature and humidity.

The sweltering weather is part of a rash of extreme heat bearing down on the South. In Tampa Bay, the main culprit is a persistent westerly wind that’s dragging muggy air in from the Gulf of Mexico, which is fueling the warmer temperatures, Flannery said.

Of course, summer is always hot in Florida, Flannery said. Temperatures reaching into the upper 90s is not unheard of this time of year, he said.

Regardless of the official heat index over the next few days, it’s going to be scorching. For the next seven days, highs will be in the mid- to upper 90s across the area. Areas closer to the coast will fare a bit better, with temperatures staying closer to the lower 90s.

Rain chances won’t be higher than 20% through Saturday. They increase to 40% on Sunday and 50% on Monday, according to Spectrum Bay News 9.

The weather service advised people to drink plenty of fluids, and for those who can stay inside to do so. Check on relatives and neighbors, and never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles, the advisory said.

The advisory warned those who work or spend time outside to take extra precautions, such as frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas. The weather service suggests wearing loosefitting, lightweight clothing when possible.

Cramps are the first signs of heat-related illness, which can lead to heat exhaustion or stroke, according to the weather service.

Signs of heat exhaustion include dizziness, thirst, heavy sweating, nausea and weakness. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, move to a cooler area, loosen your clothing, sip water and seek medical help if your condition does not improve, the weather service said.

A person suffering heat stroke may experience confusion, dizziness and become unconscious. If this occurs, call 911, move the person to a cooler area, loosen their clothing and cool them with ice or water, the weather service said.

For more information on heat-related illnesses and their symptoms, click here.