Yasmeen Saadi, Indianapolis Star
Updated ·4 min read
The hottest temperatures of the year so far are just around the corner for Central Indiana, according to local meteorologists with the National Weather Service.
While Tuesday's rain offered a sprinkle of relief, NWS said it has not stopped the upcoming hot weather in Indiana, as a heat wave continues to spread from Texas to New England. Thursday through Saturday, afternoon highs are expected to reach the mid-90s and heat indices, or the weather's "real feel" taking into consideration humidity, is expected to peak around 100 degrees.
The heat wave is forecasted to end Sunday, with a high that day of "only" 88 degrees.
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Air Quality Action Day on Thursday
Thursday's combination of high temperatures, low winds and low humidity may lead to increased ozone levels throughout the state, according to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
The department issued an Air Quality Action Day on Thursday due to ozone levels that are expected to be in the "orange zone" in the following regions:
Central/East Central Indiana: includingBloomington, Brookville, Columbus, Frankfort, Indianapolis, Greensburg, Kokomo, Lebanon, Martinsville, Muncie and Richmond
Southeast Indiana: including Brownstown, Corydon, Jeffersonville, Madison, New Albany, Salem and Versailles
Southwest Indiana: including Bedford, Bloomfield, Evansville, Huntingburg, Mount Vernon, Paoli,Princeton, Rockport, Tell City and Vincennes
Western/West Central Indiana: including Crawfordsville, Covington, Delphi, Fowler, Greencastle, Lafayette, Newport, Monticello, Spencer, Sullivan and Terre Haute
Northwest Indiana: including Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer and Valparaiso
The "orange zone" means that the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, which include the elderly, young children and individuals with a heart or lung condition. These groups are advised to remain indoors as much as possible on Thursday.
Further, to reduce pollution, IDEM recommends driving less, avoiding refueling vehicles or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m., avoiding idling at the drive-thru and conserving energy in the house by turning off lights and setting the thermostat to ≥75° in the summer.
NWS has also created a heat risk map that ranks the risk heat-related impacts/illnesses. The experimental index ranks the risk on a scale from zero, meaning little to no risk from expected heat, to four, which signifies extreme risk.
On Friday and Saturday, the map expects Central Indiana to jump up to a four in its risk index.
"This level of rare and/or long-duration extreme heat with little to no overnight relief affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration," the index states.
Puma said that since the index is relatively new, it is hard to gauge how uncommon it is for Indiana to reach this level of heat risk. However, he said, these higher risks are in line with the forecasted temperatures.
"When you have those sorts of temperatures, along with humidity, then you're going to start running into heat-related illnesses," Puma said.
Heat-related illnesses can include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat rashes.
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Symptoms of heat-related illnesses
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of heat-related illnesses include:
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
Dizziness
Excessive sweating
Confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech
Loss of consciousness or fainting
Staying safe
NWS has put out several posts this week on X, formerly known as Twitter, warning Hoosiers of the summer's first heat wave and advising them to stay indoors when possible.
"On these days, we're really advising people to try to avoid being outside during the peak heating hours," said Jason Puma, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Central Indiana. "Try to plan your activities during the early morning hours or the late evening hours, when it'll be a little bit cooler and the sun's a little lower in the sky, if you must be outdoors."
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Puma advised Hoosiers to stay hydrated, take plenty of breaks and check up on those who are particularly susceptible to the heat, including children, the elderly and pets.
While Hoosiers are experiencing the first heat wave of the summer, Puma said it will likely not be the last. July and August tend to be the state's warmest months, he noted.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy's hottest temperatures of the year start Thursday, NWS says
