Ohio Braces for Potential for Record Heat Wave

(TNS) – The summer heat has arrived with a vengeance, and area residents are urged to be cautious when it comes to the rising temperatures.

With heat index values expected to rise to between 100 and 110 degrees, the National Weather Service issued an Excessive Heat Warning covering all of western Ohio and set to remain in effect from noon Tuesday through the end of Wednesday night. This comes as Lima is expected to have potentially record-breaking temperatures in the high 90s Tuesday through Thursday, according to AccuWeather.

“We’ve had all of that heat out in the desert Southwest and the four corners region of Texas,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Walker said. “And that ridge with that heat is building eastward and expanding into the Ohio Valley bringing that heat, and it’s going to be record heat for the next couple of days.”

The record high temperature in Lima for June 14 is 93 degrees set back in 2017, and as of Monday, AccuWeather has predicted highs of 98 degrees for Tuesday.

“For Wednesday, 95 degrees [was the record high temperature] in 1967,” Walker said. “We’re expecting 97 [degrees] for a high.”

Walker is also expecting a potential record-breaking day on Thursday, with a forecast high of 96 degrees, which would be close to the record of 97 degrees set in 1994.

“And another big thing is that we’re not going to cool off at night,” Walker said. “We’re only looking at nighttime temperatures of 79 [Tuesday] night and Wednesday night at 80. So that’s very stressful on the body when it can’t cool down at night.”

These sweltering temperatures, coupled with high humidity, could spell danger for vulnerable sections of the population, specifically the elderly and children, as they can have a harder time adjusting to such high temperatures.

“The thing is to try to limit your time outdoors,” Walker said. “Try to stay in an air-conditioned location, if possible. Keep hydrated and drink plenty of fluids. The big thing is, don’t leave your pet or anybody in a car because they can heat up really fast.”

Because of the hot weather, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office announced on social media that, in an effort not to cause confusion given the current, weather-related warnings in effect, the monthly weather alert test for the county will be canceled. The Allen County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has also issued an ozone alert from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and is asking the public to reduce ozone production by carpooling or riding bicycles on shorter trips, parking a vehicle in shady areas, avoid mowing lawns and refrain from cooking over charcoal during that period.

Attempts to reach the West Ohio Community Action Partnership and the Area Agency on Aging 3 for comment were unsuccessful.

©2022 The Lima News (Lima, Ohio), Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.