Oppressive heat won’t let up until weekend

Today’s ‘real feel’ likely 100 degrees

Kristianna Reno, 4, left, and Riley Funk, 6, try to cool off at East Broadway and Mason Street in East Toledo. Humidity is helping high temperatures feel hotter.

The heat is on — still.

For the second straight day, the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory today in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, cautioning about heat and humidity that, combined, will feel like 100 degrees or hotter.

The heat index Wednesday topped out at 100 shortly before 5 p.m., while the day’s high temperature at Toledo Express Airport, 93 degrees, was reached at 3:59 p.m., the weather service reported.

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Similar conditions were forecast for today and Friday before cooler, drier weather arrives, with a high of 80 predicted for Sunday.

Wednesday’s sweltering conditions prompted officials to issue tips on preventing heat-related illnesses, and the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio Inc. lengthened the hours at some Lucas County centers that provide air-conditioned relief to residents.

“We just try to give them a little bit of a break. We also encourage people to go to other public places like shopping malls and movie theaters,” said Emilie Owens, the agency’s emergency coordinator.

“The danger for older people truly is dehydration and heat stroke and heat exhaustion.”

Officials continued to warn of heat dangers. The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department urged drinking more fluids, avoiding liquids with caffeine, alcohol, or high amounts of sugar, and staying indoors and reducing exercise.

Those with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other breathing ailments should take precautions.

Toledo’s Division of Environmental Services said the region’s smog-forming ozone level could be troublesome for people most sensitive to air pollution.

Many factors drive up ozone, including heat and stagnant air. Levels are expected to be satisfactory Friday.

The precautionary warning for today is the first for the Lucas-Wood county area since June 23-24.

Wednesday’s heat led the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library to move the Brown Bag Summer Concert Series performance indoors to the air conditioning from the Main Library’s North Lawn.

Its spokesman, Rhonda Sewell, said the library decided to “play it safe” because of the high heat index.