Dangerous heat wave descends on parts of Midwest and South

A dangerous heat wave hit much of the Midwest and South on Tuesday, with temperatures hitting triple digits in Chicago and combining with the humidity to make it feel even hotter there and in other sweltering cities.

More than 100 million people were expected to be affected by midweek and authorities warned residents to stay hydrated, remain indoors when possible and be aware of the health risks of high temperatures. Strong storms brought heavy rain and damaging wind to many of the affected areas on Monday, and more than 500,000 customers remained without power early Tuesday evening, including more than 350,000 in Ohio, according to https://poweroutage.us/.

At one Ohio utility, American Electric Power, heavy storms and strong winds over the past several days, combined with extreme heat, left some lines became stressed and needing to be turned offline to prevent further extensive power line damage, spokesman Scott Blake said.

Excessive heat warnings are in effect for much of Illinois and Indiana along with parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio from Tuesday through Wednesday night according to the National Weather Service.

Heat index values — which take into account the temperature and relative humidity and indicate how hot it feels outdoors — approached and topped 105 degrees in some locations, including Chicago, the weather service said.

“Full sun today will make it feel even hotter,” the weather service wrote. “There will not be much relief for those without air conditioning today through Wednesday night.”