Chicagoans will continue to experience “dangerously hot temperatures” and periodic storms throughout the week, with cooler temperatures at night and during the weekend, forecasters said Wednesday.

       By afternoon, conditions in the city are expected to be hot and “uncomfortably humid,” according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service’s Romeoville office. The high temperature should reach 91 degrees, which would be cooler than Tuesday’s oppressive 95-degree high — the hottest Aug. 24 in at least 20 years — as a result of greater cloud coverage Wednesday. It will be even hotter in the southern metro area and in Central Illinois, forecasters said.

       “This will be one of the hotter stretches we’ve had,” said Ricky Castro, a weather service meteorologist, adding that the temperatures are “well above normal for late August.”

       Such periods of extreme heat have increased in “frequency and intensity ... and will further increase in the future,” according to Francina Dominguez, a hydroclimatologist and professor at the University of Illinois, citing the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

       Elderly people who live alone are among those most vulnerable to the effects of a heat wave; it’s “important that people check up on loved ones, especially elderly people with possible health risks,” Castro said.

       The weather service warns against leaving children and pets in vehicles and avoiding overexertion and prolonged periods outdoors. Those who need to be outside should drink plenty of water and take periodic breaks. Those who don’t have air conditioning should keep the blinds drawn to block out heat, forecasters said. But ideally, they should try to spend time at a cooling center or somewhere with air conditioning.

       Scattered showers could develop Wednesday afternoon but meteorologists said they don’t expect severe weather.

       “Additional thunderstorm development appears possible this afternoon,” according to the weather service website, with the caveat that meteorologists have low confidence in such developments. Any storm development would likely come later than 3 p.m., it said, with a chance “some could become strong to marginally severe.”

       Storms also are possible overnight into Thursday morning, forecasters said. Thursday and Friday should be slightly cooler with the daytime high temperature 90 degrees or cooler, although the heat index could hover around 100 degrees.

       “Periodic chances for showers and thunderstorms continue through the remainder of the week but there will be dry periods,” according to the weather service.

       For more on the forecast, visit the Tribune’s weather page.

       As the school year starts, more Illinois kids are hospitalized for COVID-19. But the situation is far worse in other states.

       5h

       In a first for Illinois politics, Lake County treasurer accepts campaign donations of Bitcoin, Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies

       5h

       Horoscopes Daily horoscope for August 25, 2021

       12:00 AM

       Coronavirus As the school year starts, more Illinois kids are hospitalized for COVID-19. But the situation is far worse in other states.

       5h

       Elite Street Highland Park mansion owned by former Bulls star Scottie Pippen that was recently offered on Airbnb finds a buyer

       Aug 24, 2021