January 31, 2025
Shaw Local
NewsSportsBearseNewspaperNewsletterObituariesWeekend PlansEvent Calendar

Cooling centers available throughout McHenry County during heat wave this week

High temperatures will be consistently in the 80s this week, along with thunderstorm chances

By Michelle Meyer
John Patyk, 13, tries to keep cool in front of a fan as he tends to his family's Patyk's Farm Market and Greenhouse near Richmond on July 25, 2023. With temperatures in the nineties and high humidity forecasted, cooling centers will be open throughout McHenry County.

John Patyk, 13, tries to keep cool in front of a fan as he tends to his family's stand at the Patyk's Farm Market and Greenhouse near Richmond, on July 25, 2023. With temperatures in the 90s and high humidity forecasted, McHenry County is opening cooling centers around the county for residents to use. (Gregory Shaver — gshaver@shawmedia.com/Gregory Shaver Shaw Media )

This week will continue to be hot and humid with clusters of thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service. The hottest days will be Wednesday through Friday with peak afternoon heat indices of 95 to 105 degrees.

The National Weather Service has an air quality alert until midnight on Wednesday in McHenry County. A hazardous weather outlook for McHenry County is in effect until Monday.

Cooling centers are available for the public in Algonquin, Harvard, Island Lake, Lake in the Hills, Lakemoor, Lakewood, Marengo, Prairie Grove, McHenry, Port Barrington and Woodstock.

Many of the locations are at local village and city halls and public libraries. The full list can be found at the McHenry County Emergency Management website.

“Thinking ahead and a little bit of preparedness can go a long way.”

—  David Christensen, McHenry County Emergency Management Director

Storms could be severe this week with the highest chances of storms on Wednesday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service. The storms could bring in cooler air, giving some relief to the heat.

McHenry County Public Health Administrator Melissa Adamson said people should drink plenty of water and wear loose clothing to keep themselves healthy and cool.

Extreme heat can lead to heat stroke, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, dehydration and death, according to the CDC. Groups that are more vulnerable to the heat are pregnant women, people with heart or lung conditions, young children, older adults, athletes and outdoor workers.

Heat related illnesses can be cumulative, said David Christensen, McHenry County’s emergency management director. He said that ready.gov/heat offers many tips on how to identify signs of heat illness and to prevent it.

“Being exposed to this heat over several days, what you can tolerate on Tuesday may not be able to on Thursday,” Christensen said.

According to the CDC, McHenry County has a low social vulnerability index level, which measures the negative impact of external factors on public health.

Shaw Local News Network reported on Monday that the heat from the southwestern states of the U.S. will expand to the Midwest this week.

Tuesday had a high of 90 degrees. Which was about 10 degrees higher than historical average temperatures for the end of July, according to CDC data.

The CDC predicts McHenry County to have less than one day that will be at a dangerous level of heat in August. According to FEMA data, McHenry County has had 12 heat wave events from 2005 to 2021.

The excessive use of air conditioning could potentially overload electrical systems and leave people without power, Christensen said. He advises people to have a plan of where to go to stay cool, like a mall or a movie theater.

“Thinking ahead and a little bit of preparedness can go a long way,” Christensen said.

He also advised to make sure people check that others who may be vulnerable to the heat have access to air-conditioned areas, which he believes McHenry County residents are good at doing.

“Check on your elderly neighbors,” Christensen said. “We’re so fortunate that the people of McHenry County check in on each other.”

Have a Question about this article?