Monday's official high of 101 degrees marked the 17th-straight day at or above 100 degrees in Dallas-Fort Worth and there is no sign of that streak ending soon.
We have now had 24 days in the triple-digits this year and it looks like we're on the way to day number 25 Tuesday with the forecasted high being 100 degrees. NBC 5 Meteorologist Samantha Davies forecast for Wednesday through Monday has a high of at least 100 degrees every day -- so our stream may stretch to 24-straight days of 100-plus temperature heat if she's right. See her forecast above.
North Texas isn't the only one feeling the heat. High temperatures are also gripping much of the Midwest and are nearly certain to persist through the week, as they are in DFW. Forecasters said the extreme discomfort will soon spread to the East Coast. The misery was widespread Monday, with the worst conditions blanketing a broad band from Texas to Minnesota and Dakotas. Seventeen states issued heat watches, warnings or advisories.
The heat index easily surpassed 100 degrees in many places that aren't accustomed to such spells, including 126 in Newton, Iowa, and 119 in Madison, Minn.
But few people are hit as hard as the poor.
In Oklahoma, for example, applications from elderly and low-income residents are pouring in for help to pay utility bills. And Chicago officials have opened six cooling centers, many of them in lower-income neighborhoods, along with hundreds of air-conditioned public buildings.
In North Texas, there are two cooling centers in Dallas at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center and the West Dallas Multipurpose Center, sponsored by Reliant Energy.
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The Salvation Army is also sponsoring two cooling centers, one in Fort Worth at the Mabee Social Services Center and one in Dallas at the Carr P. Collins Social Services Center. Those needing a place to cool off are invited to stop by, relax and drink some cool water. Get more information here.
Remember, extreme heat can pose a threat long after the sun goes down if temperatures stay warm enough. To try stay cool and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
