HEAT DESCENDS ON MUCH OF MIDWEST, 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 this week 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 400,000 customers remained without power as of Tuesday afternoon.

Excessive heat warnings are in effect for much of Illinois and Indiana along with parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio from Tuesday through tonight 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.”

Much of southeastern Michigan — from just south of Flint to the state lines with Ohio and Indiana — was put under an excessive heat watch Wednesday through Thursday morning as the warm front is forecast to move east.

A heat advisory also was issued, stretching from as far north as Wisconsin down to the Florida Panhandle on the Gulf coast.

In Chicago, where a ferocious storm Monday night heralded temperatures that were expected to exceed 90 degrees on Tuesday and today, the May deaths of three women when temperatures climbed into the 90s served as a fresh reminder of the dangers of such heat — particularly for people who live alone or are dealing with certain health issues.

Pat Clemmons, an 81year-old resident of the apartment complex where the women died, said everything was working well Tuesday morning as the temperatures climbed. She said she has lived in the building for about 20 years and that she never experienced issues before “that one horrible Saturday” in May.

“They have every kind of air conditioner, air blower, fan jets and everything else ... I’m fine right now,” Clemmons said. “The air’s on. You know they’re gonna have everything working perfectly right now ’cause all the chaos that happened.”

By midafternoon, the temperature at Chicago Midway National Airport reached 100 degrees for the first time since July of 2012, the area’s weather service office reported.