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Southeast Michigan extreme heat warning starts as temps soar
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An extreme heat warning for all of Southeast Michigan goes into effect Tuesday as temperatures are slated to soar across the region, the National Weather Service said.
The warning is in effect from noon Tuesday until 8 p.m. Thursday, the agency said.
Red Oaks Waterpark in Madison Heights is closed on Tuesday amid the heat wave, according to a Facebook post.
“You’ve probably already noticed the dangerously hot temperatures that have moved into metro Detroit this week,” officials said in the post. “Out of an abundance of caution for our guests and our staff, Red Oaks Waterpark will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday June 30.”
Officials with the park, which is run by Oakland County Parks and Recreation, said they hope to reopen with modified hours from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. Rates are reduced on those dates. County residents will pay $16 and non-residents $22. The park noted guests can buy tickets in advance.
“And don’t forget, if you plan to buy tickets at the door, please call first! We’re likely to sell out quickly,” the waterpark said.
High temperatures could set records
High temperatures in the region are predicted to push into the mid-90s to near 100 degrees. Combined with high humidity, the heat index should top 105 or greater on each of the days. Lows in the 70s will provide little relief overnight, according to the weather service.
NWS officials said the forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and dry conditions on Tuesday. There’s a small chance of thunderstorms across the Saginaw-Midland-Bay City and the Thumb regions through mid-week.
Detroit’s high temperature on Tuesday is expected to reach 99 and could break a 95-year-old record, according to the NWS. The record for the date was set in 1931 at 96, according to the agency’s data. The normal high for the city on June 30 is 83.
Officials said the extreme temperatures are driven by a large heat dome, a high-pressure system, sitting over the Ohio Valley. The system acts like a lid on a pot, and Southeast Michigan is on its edge.
Meteorologists with the weather service warn that Wednesday and Thursday will be the hottest days of the week, but hot and humid conditions are expected to linger until Friday and Saturday, the Fourth of July. There is an increasing potential for showers and thunderstorms at the end of the week.
The NWS forecast for Detroit calls for a high temperature of 101 on Wednesday, followed by 100 on Thursday.
On Friday, Detroit’s high is expected to drop slightly to 97, the agency said.
Where to stay cool as extreme heat grips SE Michigan
Electrical demand to rise
Michigan’s largest power companies warn that extreme heat means greater demand for electricity to run air conditioners.
DTE Energy officials said Monday that they have crews out in the field to make sure electricity is flowing, and the company’s customers can keep cool.
Officials urge customers to keep safe by staying indoors, hydrating before venturing outside, finding a place to cool down, and taking frequent breaks.
Consumers Energy also warned its customers they should expect extreme heat over the next few days.
The company recommends many of the same safety tips as DTE Energy, but adds that those who don’t have air conditioning in their home should find public places, such as libraries, recreation facilities, and shopping malls, or cooling centers to beat the heat.
On Monday, the Detroit Area Agency on Aging said it would provide vulnerable older adults with fans, transportation to cooling centers, and cases of bottled water to help protect them from the extreme temperatures. Supplies are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Air quality alert in effect
Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, or EGLE, said it has issued an Air Quality Alert for Ozone on Tuesday for Muskegon, Ottawa, Kent, Allegan, Van Buren, and Berrien counties in west Michigan.
Ozone is a gas created by nature and man-made. In the highest layer of Earth’s atmosphere, it reduces the amount of harmful ultraviolet radiation that reaches the planet’s surface. But when in the lower atmosphere where humans breathe, it’s typically created from pollution and can affect people with sensitive respiratory systems.
To lower the amount of ozone over the region, EGLE officials urge Michigan residents to avoid activities that can lead to the gas’s formation, such as refueling vehicles or topping off when refueling, using gasoline-powered lawn equipment, and using charcoal lighter fluid.
Extended Detroit forecast
Wednesday: Hot; high 101, low 77
Thursday: Hot; high 101, low 76
Friday: Mostly sunny; high 97, low 71
Saturday: Mostly sunny; high 91, low 68
Sunday: Mostly sunny, high 88.
Source: National Weather Service
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