...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CDT SATURDAY...
* TEMPERATURES...HIGHS AGAIN TODAY WILL TOP OUT BETWEEN 100 AND
105. ON SATURDAY HIGHS WILL AGAIN BE NEAR 100 BEFORE A COLD
FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA BRINGING AN END TO THIS OPPRESSIVE
HEAT.
* HEAT INDICES...WILL GENERALLY PEAK BETWEEN 108 AND 116 DEGREES
AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON...AND NEAR 105 DEGREES ON SATURDAY. TONIGHT
THE HEAT INDEX IS NOT EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW THE MID 70S.
* OTHER...AN AIR QUALITY ALERT HAS BEEN DECLARED THROUGH FRIDAY
FOR NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA. EXPOSURE TO
ELEVATED OZONE AND PARTICULATE LEVELS WILL ONLY SERVE TO
INCREASE STRESSES ON THE BODY...ESPECIALLY FOR THE VERY YOUNG
AND ELDERLY...AS WELL AS PEOPLE WITH PULMONARY OR RESPIRATORY
DISEASE. ANYONE IN THESE GROUPS SHOULD LIMIT EXPOSURE TO
OUTDOOR AIR.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS...IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN
POSSIBLE...RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR
EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT
STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN
POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.
TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK...THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS
IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY
HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE
IS A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY...CALL 9 1 1.
&&
