Extreme Heat Moves East Wednesday
by KDLT Weather
June 26, 2012 8:45 PM
Oppressive heat has taken over the region and will likely stick around for a while. Temperatures will soar over the next few days, combined with the humidity, it will feel way warmer with the heat index topping 100 degrees in spots through early next week.Take a peak at Tuesday's high temperatures compared to the records. Chamberlain set a new record while Mobridge and Valentine tied their high.
(Heat Advisory in effect Wednesday June 27th through 8pm)
A Heat Advisory has been issued for many parts of our area Wednesday as temperatures soar into the upper 90's and triple digits. 
Heat Advisories are issued when Heat Index Values are expected to warm up into dangerous territories within the next 12 hours.
Heat Index Values are sometimes called the "feel-like" temperatures or the temperature your body senses. When your body becomes over heated, it produces sweat which coats the outside layer of your skin with a thin layer of water. Your body expects the air around you to try to evaporate the thin layer of water on your skin essentially removing the heat and allowing your body to cool off. When the air around you has less water in it, the evaporation rate is faster allowing your body to cool much faster. However in our case this week, the air around you will have quite a bit of water in it. So much so that the air will be very close to saturation or in other words, it cannot hold much more water. This causes the evaporation rate to slow down, keeping heat on the surface of your skin and allows your body temperature to stay warm or even in some cases warm more. That is why spending an excess time outside during times when the heat index is very high can be incredibly hazardous to your health.The most intense heat Wednesday will be moving east where parts of northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota, and southeast South Dakota could top 100 degrees.
(Forecast High's for Wednesday June 27th)
While triple-digit temperatures are dangerous themselves, when you add in the relative humidity it makes temperatures even more dangerous.
(Dew Point temperatures from Tuesday evening)
While warm weather is not rare in June, some of our areas could break more records Wednesday.
(Forecast High's for Wednesday and the records for the date)
Unlike Tuesday, the hottest locations will be found across the southeast with many locations in northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota flirting with records. But the good news is that a cold front will sweep through the region Wednesday night allowing temperatures and especially humidity levels to fall Thursday. But the above average temperatures look like they will stick around right through the weekend so stay cool. 
