Heat Advisory Issued in Midwest with a Heat Index of 108

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(TNS) — Hot and dry conditions are expected to continue through the week, with the air temperature projected to reach 106 degrees or higher Tuesday in Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas.

A heat advisory for the region was issued Monday by the National Weather Service . The advisory was to remain in effect from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with a heat index value as high as 108.

“The main story is going to be Tuesday, which is expected to be the hottest day of summer,” said Shelby Melto, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Springfield.

The rest of the week is projected to be similarly hot, with no chances of rain in sight.

“We are showing the highs in the high 90s and low 100s through the week,” Melto said.

Reports by the Climate Prediction Center forecast continued high temperatures through the end of July, Melto said.

Ottawa and Delaware counties in Northeast Oklahoma were under an excessive heat warning Monday through Tuesday evening due to heat index values up to 109 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions will also exist off and on through the week because of the temperatures, low afternoon relative humidity values and increasing winds, meteorologists said.

Keith Stammer, the emergency management coordinator for Joplin and Jasper County, recommends that people limit outdoor activities this week, especially Tuesday.

“Stay out of the heat and stay hydrated,” Stammer said. “Drink a lot more fluids.”

Extreme heat is responsible for the highest number of annual deaths among all weather-related hazards, according to the National Weather Service .

Residents who do not have air conditioning may go to the lobbies of public buildings to get into cool air. Those include Joplin City Hall, 602 S. Main St.; the Joplin Health Department, 321 E. Fourth St. ; the Dr. Donald Clark Public Safety and Justice Center, 303 E. Third St.; and the Joplin Athletic Center, 3301 W. First St. All are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Safety tips recommended by the weather service include drinking plenty of fluids and getting into a cool building. Additionally, it is recommended that people:

—Avoid strenuous activities.

—Wear light clothing.

—Check on family members and neighbors.

—Watch for symptoms of heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Those symptoms can include dizziness, thirst, heavy sweating or no sweat, nausea and weakness.

—Never leave people or pets in a closed car.

The Four-State Area isn’t the only place suffering this week.

Millions of people in Britain stayed home or sought shade Monday during the country’s first extreme heat warning, as the hot, dry weather that has scorched mainland Europe for the past week moved north, buckling rail lines and forcing two airports to close their runways.

The red heat alert covers a big chunk of England and is to last through Tuesday, when temperatures may reach 104 degrees for the first time, posing a risk of serious illness and even death among healthy people, according to the Met Office, the U.K.’s meteorological agency.

Hot weather has gripped southern Europe since last week, triggering wildfires in Spain, Portugal and France. Almost 600 heat-related deaths have been reported in Spain and Portugal, where temperatures reached 117 degrees last week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.