Air Quality Alert
MCHENRY-LAKE IL-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-LAKE IN-PORTER-
738 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 2011
…AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
NIGHT…
THE ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND THE INDIANA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT HAVE DECLARED WEDNESDAY
JULY 20TH AN AIR POLLUTION ACTION DAY DUE TO ELEVATED POLLUTION
LEVELS. THIS INCLUDES THE ILLINOIS COUNTIES OF COOK…DUPAGE…
KANE…KENDALL…GRUNDY…LAKE…MCHENRY AND WILL…AND THE
INDIANA COUNTIES OF LAKE AND PORTER.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING
WEBSITES…
AND
DUE TO THE EXPECTED ELEVATED POLLUTION LEVELS…PERSONS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO AVOID PROLONGED OUTDOOR EXERTION…PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH PRE-EXISTING RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS.
Temperature expected to hit 98°F in Arlington Heights at about 4:00 p.m.
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING …
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
415 AM CDT WED JUL 20 2011
ILZ014-201715-
/O.CON.KLOT.EH.W.0001.000000T0000Z-110722T0900Z/
COOK-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF…CHICAGO
415 AM CDT WED JUL 20 2011
…EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CDT
FRIDAY…
AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CDT
FRIDAY.
* TEMPS AND HEAT INDEX…HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON WILL
CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 90S TO AROUND 100 DEGREES. THE HEAT
COMBINED WITH OPPRESSIVELY HIGH HUMIDITY VALUES WILL RESULT IN
HEAT INDEX READINGS PEAKING BETWEEN 110 AND 115 DEGREES. IT
WILL REMAIN OPPRESSIVELY HOT AND HUMID TONIGHT WITH LOWS ONLY
DIPPING BRIEFLY INTO THE UPPER 70S IN THE SUBURBS BUT HOLDING IN
THE 80S IN THE CITY. HEAT INDEX READING TONIGHT WILL ONLY
GRADUALLY FALL BELOW 100 INTO THE 90S BY LATE TONIGHT IN THE
CITY…CREATING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. HIGHS ON
THURSDAY WILL ONCE AGAIN SOAR INTO THE 90S WITH HEAT INDEX
READINGS OF 105 TO 110.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS…IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN
POSSIBLE…RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR
EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT
STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN
POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.
TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK…THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS
IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY
HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE
IS AN EMERGENCY…CALL 9 1 1. IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO…CALL THE
24 HOUR 3 1 1 HEAT EMERGENCY NUMBER.
AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF
DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT
TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION
IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY
IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY OUT OF THE SUN…AND CHECK UP
ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.
Forecast as of Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
Today: Widespread haze. Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Heat index values as high as 112. Southwest wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tonight: Widespread haze. Mostly clear, with a low around 82. Southwest wind between 10 and 15 mph.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Heat index values as high as 110. West southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph