Heat advisory issued for Cedar Rapids, Iowa City areas as temperatures climb

Temperatures will reach dangerous levels across much of Iowa, climbing to the mid-to-upper 90s, and heat indexes could reach 102.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory Thursday morning for several Iowa counties, including Linn and Johnson County. The advisory lasts from 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday.

Brian Pierce, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities, said temperatures and humidity levels will increase during the day.

“Drink a lot of fluids, preferably water. If you can stay in the shade, that’s great. If you can stay in air conditioning, that’s even better,” he said.

Pierce said older residents are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.

“You need to check up on your neighbors and make sure they’re OK, if they don’t have air conditioning,” he said.

To avoid heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the National Weather Service recommends:

As temperatures climb, a portion of Linn County is classified in a moderate drought by the National Weather Service, with more area in the county identified as in a drought than the previous week.

The rest of Linn County and Johnson County are currently identified as abnormally dry.

In addition to the heat advisory in the afternoon, the National Weather Service is warning of severe thunderstorms possible in Eastern Iowa on Thursday evening.

Portions of Linn County, including Cedar Rapids, were identified as having enhanced risk for severe weather between 6 p.m. and midnight Thursday, with the possibility of damaging winds and hail.

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