Temperatures peaked at 65 degrees just five days ago.
Highs will likely climb from the upper-80s to lower-90s through the rest of this week, according to Elwell.
He expects pop-up showers to persist daily through Friday, which will cool things down, but Elwell predicted this week to be the “hottest of the year” thus far.
Fred Stegner, who runs the Springfield Soup Kitchen, opened up his building as a cooling center last year when the heat index surpassed 100. He says that he plans to do the same thing this year, although that heat plateau has yet to be reached.
“We open up as a place where people can come who are walking the streets in the heat, that are in stagnant apartments, that are in heat with no air flow, and just a lot of other needs,” Stegner said. “Typically, we get out cool water, or sometimes we get donations of juice, and we have ice on hand, just so everyone can cool down.”
Stegner’s kitchen has three large air conditioners and was the first in Clark County to open as a cooling center last summer.
While most are trying to stay out of the heat, there are some community members who like it hot: golfers. Jim Kincaid, general manager at Reid Park Golf Course in Springfield, says that despite the heat, he has not seen a decline in golfers at his course over the past few days.
“People enjoy the heat a little more than the cold, so they tend to keep coming out to play golf,” Kincaid said. “Obviously, we’re not at 100 degrees yet, so it’s been hot, but not hot enough to keep people away at this point.”
Irrigation concerns are at the top of the list when dry heat commences, Kincaid says. With pop-up showers expected for later in the week, however, Kincaid isn’t yet concerned about keeping his course green.
“Most of these stints (of heat) are short in time span, so if you get a real long stint of 95 degree humidity and no rain, then you certainly have a little more concern than if it’s just here for a handful of days, and you’re getting pop-up showers and things like that,” Kincaid said. “It’s not too big of a concern at this point.”
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