How hot is it?
"It's so dang hot that I just saw a hound dog chasing a rabbit—and they were both walking."
Summer doesn’t officially start until Thursday.
But Mother Nature is dropping an early calling card this week in terms of heat.
The National Weather Service office has issued a heat advisory that covers almost the entire state of Ohio until Friday at 8 p.m.
The temperature is expected to rise into the 90s every day this week with high humidity. Heat indexes in excess of 100 degrees are likely.
As the sweat drips from your brow and you feel damp in your clothes just from walking outside, keep in mind it could be worse. It could be January and that could be a foot of snow blocking your driveway.
Anyway, you know the hot-weather drill.
Drink plenty of fluids (the non-alcoholic kind). Stay in an air-conditioned room, if you have one. Use a fan, if you don’t. Stay out of the sun, especially during the afternoon hours. Check up on relatives and neighbors to make sure they are OK … and maybe they will do the same for you.
As a reminder, if you are planning to take your dog for a walk on asphalt surfaces, please note 90-degree-plus air temps can make asphalt surfaces surge to around 150 degrees.
That’s warm enough to burn skin, including your pet’s feet.
Experts say if you can’t hold the back of your hand to the pavement for five seconds, it’s too hot to walk your dog on that surface, because Fido’s paw pads could get burned.
If that’s the case, try to keep to grassy areas when walking your dog. Sidewalks, because they are lighter-colored, can also be a lot cooler than asphalt.
Another warm-weather tip for animal-lovers: Dogs can overheat just like people can. Keep them cool, and make sure they have plenty of water to drink.
And now … the forecast.
Monday
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 96. Southwest wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tuesday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 11 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values will reach as high as 96. South winds will be around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South winds around 6 mph.
Juneteenth
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 95.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Friday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Sunday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
