Weather service says hot, humid weekend ahead with potentially severe storms. Heat index could near 100.
Brace for a hot and sticky weekend as the heat index climbs to nearly 100 degrees and potentially severe thunderstorms hit Chicagoland, according to the National Weather Service.
The weekend kicked off Friday with some areas experiencing highs in the 90s and humid conditions. Isolated showers and a few thunderstorms formed along the Lake Michigan shoreline and into the north suburbs, but most areas remained dry as of Friday afternoon, according to the weather service.
Severe thunderstorms are forecast Saturday afternoon and into the evening as a cold front moves in across most of northern Illinois. These storms will be capable of producing strong winds and hail, but the likelihood of a tornado is low, said meteorologist Kevin Birk of the weather service’s Chicago-area forecast office.
Birk advised people “keep an eye to the sky” and monitor the weather throughout the weekend for severe weather alerts.
By Saturday, temperatures are forecast to climb into the low to mid-90s, with the heat index measuring in the upper 90s and nearing 100 degrees, according to the weather service. The heat index measures “what it would feel like outside,” Birk said. Very hot and humid conditions make it hard for the human body to regulate its temperature, so it can feel hotter than the recorded air temperature, he said.
High temperatures will cool down to the lower 90s Sunday, and the humidity will break, according to the weather service’s forecast.
“If you’re working outside, take frequent breaks,” Birk said. “Drink plenty of water … and stay out of the sun if possible.”
“You don’t have to go out — you can stay in the air conditioning.”
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke — a severe heat-related illness — are possible with prolonged exposure to high temperatures and dehydration, according to Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications. The symptoms of heatstroke are high body temperature; dizziness and nausea; headache and rapid, strong pulse; and red, hot and dry skin.
“Every one of our residents deserves safe shelter from the summer heat,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “During the summer months especially, it is also vitally important to stay connected with friends, family and neighbors to look out for them and connect them to care when necessary.”
The National Weather Service issues an extreme heat warning when the heat index is expected to exceed 105 to 110 degrees for at least two consecutive days. During extreme heat events, the city will open “cooling areas” at six community centers, according to emergency management office. The locations are:
Englewood Center — 1140 W. 79th St.
Garfield Center — 10 S. Kedzie Ave.
King Center — 4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
North Area Center — 845 W. Wilson Ave.
South Chicago Center — 8650 S. Commercial Ave.
Trina Davila Center — 4312 W. North Ave.
The cooling areas will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and visitors will be required to wear masks while inside. Chicagoans can also find relief from the heat in the city’s public libraries and Chicago Park District field houses.
Hazy air conditions and a reddish-colored sun and moon may also continue through the weekend as wildfires in the West blow ash and debris across North America, according to the weather service.
Air quality alerts were issued earlier this week for Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties in northwest Indiana, according to the state’s Environmental Protection Agency. While an air quality alert has not been issued for Chicagoland, Birk said the air is “likely degraded” and may be unsafe for people with respiratory issues. The Illinois EPA said people with pulmonary or respiratory diseases, like asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor activity.
Visit the Tribune’s weather page for more information, and check back for updates.
