Extreme heat and thunderstorms producing locally heavy rain are forecast to continue in Greater Cincinnati.
A heat advisory has been extended until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Heat indices are slated to reach a high of 105 due to scorching hot temperatures and high humidity in the region.
Highs on July 28 will be in the upper 80s and low 90s. Temperatures will range from the low to mid-90s, July 29 through July 30.
Showers and thunderstorms are also forecast each day through July 30, mainly in the afternoons and evenings, until a cold front moves through the area Wednesday night. Heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding will be the primary threats.
High pressure will then bring drier and cooler weather for the end of the week. Temperatures are even expected to be around 10 degrees cooler on July 31. Cooler conditions are expected to persist into the weekend.
The NWS writes that as conditions “dry out” toward the end of the week, the area will likely see “much more comfortable temperatures compared to what we`ve been experiencing.”
How to stay safe during a heat advisory
The region is under a heat advisory until 8 p.m. on July 30. People are urged to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
Try to limit outside activities to cooler times − early morning or later in the evening. Wear loose-fitting and lightweight clothing and be alert to signs of heat illness, per the NWS.
Best places to beat the heat
Looking for a place to cool off? Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC) facilities remain open to the public to escape the heat regardless of membership status, according to the city of Cincinnati.
All recreation centers operate as cooling centers for the public, free of cost, during regular operating hours. To find the closest facility and see their hours, check out the city of Cincinnati’s website.
All area spraygrounds are free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, and several pools − Bond Hill, Filson, Hanna, Hirsch, Millvale – are free for youth under the age of 18.
Find pool locations and hours here.
Detailed 7-Day Cincinnati weather forecast
Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 103. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
Monday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low of around 75. Calm wind. The chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 105. Calm wind.
Tuesday night: Mostly clear, with a low of around 76. Calm wind.
Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Light north wind. The chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Wednesday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low of around 71. The chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. The chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday night: A chance of showers before 8 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low of around 64. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 82.
Friday night: Mostly clear, with a low of around 61.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.
Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low of around 62.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Source: National Weather Service, Wilmington.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Heat advisory extended as heat index stays high, storms continue