Dangerous summer heat will continue the next few days until we see some relief. Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll, and Whiteside Counties have been placed under an Excessive Heat Warning. Most of the area was placed under an Excessive Heat Watch that includes Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, Lee and DeKalb Counties in northern Illinois and Green, Rock, and Walworth Counties in southern Wisconsin. The National Weather Service will either place those counties under an Excessive Heat Warning or a Heat Advisory depending on criteria. Those alerts go in effect for everyone either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Some heat safety tips before we dip into the hottest days this week: make sure to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and electrolytes while avoiding or at least limiting drinks with caffeine and alcohol. If you have to be outdoors for long hours take frequent breaks either in the shade, or better if you can, the air conditioning. Wear lighter colors of clothing and limit activity during peak heating of the day which will be between 2-6pm. Also remember to never leave children or pets in unattended vehicles. Be sure to check up on the elderly, relatives, friends and neighbors, also those without air conditioning.

As we get closer to tomorrow, know what to expect as far as how it could feel like outside. We will not have a heat index factored in for the early morning but by mid-morning and through lunchtime heat index values will be a few degrees warmer than the air temperature. By peak heating of the day, heat indices will be into the mid to upper 90s. A few areas will likely see the lower 100s.

Heat index values will be between 95-105 on Tuesday, 105-115 Wednesday, and 105-110 Thursday. Actual air temperatures will be in the lower 90s Tuesday, mid to upper 90s for Wednesday and Thursday, any storm development would allow our temperatures to likely stay in the lower 90s those days, and then by Friday it will be a little bit more comfortable. Temperatures will really drop just in time for this upcoming weekend.