Source: NWS / Twitter
INDIANAPOLIS — The National Weather Service has issued heat alerts for 22 states and roughly 130 million people in the central and southern U.S. as a massive dome of high pressure continues to cause dangerous and potentially record-breaking heat.
In Indiana, brutal humidity levels will create maximum heat indices approaching 110 degrees. Low temperatures will provide little relief, only dipping to near 80 degrees. Last night, overnight heat will worsen the impacts of the potentially deadly heat wave.
Nationally, August typically features dangerous heat, but these temperatures are likely to break numerous records. Temperatures in the Indianapolis metro area are expected to reach their highest point of the summer today.
“Any activities outside can be dangerous as well. The body can easily become overwhelmed with the heat, and it’s very difficult for the body to be able to cool itself through sweat when it’s so humid outside,” said NWS forecaster Randy Bowers.
Bowers warned that temperatures will reach the mid to upper 90s in the afternoon, which can be deadly for children and pets inside vehicles without air conditioning.
“If you leave them in a vehicle for any length of time at all, without air conditioning, we see that time and time again, in the summertime, that can cause significant including death,” he said.
Bowers said temperatures would significantly cool on Saturday, bringing relief to Central Indiana.
“For Central Indiana, looks like low to mid 80’s on Saturday,” he added. “Even cooler air and dryer air filters in on Sunday.”
