LINCOLN, Ill. – A National Weather Service meteorologist says multiple factors are contributing to intense heat over the next week.
A Heat Advisory is in effect until Thursday night, as temperatures reach the mid-90’s and the heat index close to 115.
National Weather Service Lincoln Office Warning Coordination Meteorologist Ed Shimon says a large area of high pressure is one factor.
“The heat builds under a very stagnant air mass and just keeps heating up and getting more moisture, and it just allows it to become what we call a “heat dome” that can move around, and we’re just going to unfortunately be under that for a couple of days until a cold front moves through,” Shimon said.
Shimon says “corn sweat” is another factor in the heat. That’s when maturing plants release moisture in the air. He says an acre of corn can release around 3,000 gallons of water per day.
Shimon says with thousands of acres of corn fields, that can lead to hundreds of thousands of water released into the atmosphere, in addition to what is already there arriving from the southern United States. He says that can increase the dewpoint by 5-7 degrees more than what it typically would be.
Shimon says if one has to be outside, hydration is the best way to combat the effects of the high heat and humidity. He suggests people drink more water than normal, as well as drinks with electrolytes to replace what is lost due to sweating. Taking breaks in air conditioning can also help the body recover.
Shimon says there will be some relief with thunderstorms bringing cooler air this weekend, but intense heat will return in the early part of next week.
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