Chicagoland will continue to be gripped by a dangerous heat wave through Sunday and Monday.
The entire area will see intense sunshine, high humidity and possible record-high temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s, with heat index values near 110 in some locations.
An Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect for all of Cook County until midnight Tuesday morning, and until 7 p.m. Monday for Kenosha County in Southeastern Wisconsin. This means dangerously hot conditions, with heat index values between 105 and 110.
For the rest of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, a Heat Advisory remains in effect until midnight Tuesday morning. This means peak afternoon heat index values between 100 and 105.
Will we see a record?
There’s certainly a chance for it on Sunday.
The record high for June 22 at O’Hare International Airport is 97. Saturday’s high at O’Hare reached 94, so if it gets even a little warmer on Sunday, we could see a record.
By comparison, the average high for Chicago this time of year is in the mid-80s. Temps were already going past 80 early Sunday morning.
Very sticky air
The best way to measure how uncomfortable conditions are is by looking at dew points.
With dew points in the mid- to upper 70s predicted for Sunday, it’s going to be oppressive to miserable.
Cooling centers open
This may surprise some, but when examining all weather-related fatalities, heat is No. 1, and second place is not even close.
How does heat become deadly?
Heat waves kill by overwhelming the body’s ability to regulate its internal temperature, leading to heatstroke, organ damage and cardiovascular failure. Extreme heat can also exacerbate existing health conditions like heart and lung problems, and dehydration can cause organ shut down.
If you need a place top stay safe and cool, these six community centers will be open in Chicago to serve as cooling shelters:
- Garfield Center – 10 South Kedzie Avenue, will be open Saturday and Sunday.
Open Monday and Tuesday:
- Englewood Center – 1140 West 79th Street.
- King Center – 4314 South Cottage Grove.
- North Area Center – 845 West Wilson Avenue.
- South Chicago Center – 8650 South Commercial Avenue.
- Trina Davila Center – 4312 West North Avenue.
Other cooling options include Chicago Police Department district stations (available 24/7), Chicago libraries, senior centers, park district facilities, city colleges and all 50 Chicago outdoor pools.
For forecast, emergency alerts, safety tips and cooling centers, stay up-to-date with the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) app or their social media pages.
Call 311 to request well-being checks on loved ones if can’t do it yourself. Call 911 in an emergency.
When will it cool down?
The extreme and dangerous heat looks to be in store through Monday, before it finally cools down a little on Tuesday and for the rest of the week.
However, as the dome of heat that’s currently sitting over Chicagoland moves east, the chance for showers and storms also increases, so we could be in store for stormy weather starting around Tuesday.
And while it won’t be record heat after Monday, it still looks to remain warm and humid all week, with highs still in the mid-to upper 80s.
Current Conditions
Looking Ahead
June heat wave perspective
The level of heat this weekend is not unprecedented, but it’s comparatively rare during the month of June.
Only five other years have logged at least three consecutive days in which the high temperature reached 95 degrees or higher. The last time it happened was 37 years ago, back in the heat/drought summer of 1988.
Upper air pattern at 500 mb late Sunday
This is a classic summer heat wave upper air pattern, as a huge dome of hot air encompasses the Midwest and Northeast U.S. This map depicts regions in the atmosphere expanded beyond their normal configuration in shades of orange and red.
Heat risk area across the US through Tuesday
This is what each category means:
Key messages on current heat wave
Forecast highs across US (Saturday through Monday):
Climate and Environment news: WGN Weather Center blog
