Heat Index Could Hit 100 Tuesday in Downers Grove

Written by Shannon Antinori

The National Weather Service is forecasting a high of 97 degrees and a heat index of 100 Tuesday.

That's hotter than the record high of 95 degrees, set in Chicago on Sept. 10, 1983. According to AccuWeather.com, the last time a record high was set in September for Chicagoland was 1998.

The high for Wednesday is 89 degrees, with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms int he afternoon. Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high near 79.

Relief could come late Friday as a cold front approaches, bringing the high down to 65 degrees and the low to 49, according to the NWS.

During the heat wave, the NWS urges residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-condition rooms, keep out of the sun and make sure to check up on relatives and neighbors. Children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances, but especially during hot weather, when the car interior can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.

Those in need of a cooling center may visit any of the following locations:

• Downers Grove Park District Recreation Center, 4500 Belmont Road: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday/Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Downers Grove Public Library, 1050 Curtiss St.: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Lincoln Center, 935 Maple Ave.: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon

• Downers Grove Village Hall, 801 Burlington Ave: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Downers Grove Police Department, 825 Burlington Ave.: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these tips on how to stay safe in the heat:

• Drink more fluids, specifically those that don't contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar. 

• Stay indoors, in an air-conditioned place, if possible. 

• Take a cool shower or bath.

• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothes.

• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours, and cut down on exercise, if possible.