'Precautions should be taken': Blistering heat to be followed by severe storms Wednesday

Heat index values nearing 100 this week are forecast to cool slightly Wednesday night when rain and strong winds begin pummeling Ohio.

Early projections show that storm should enter the Buckeye State sometime between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, according to Alex Kennedy, a meteorologist who works in the Cleveland office of the National Weather Service.

"That will cool us down a little bit," Kennedy said.

'Heat advisories may be needed'

Temperatures throughout the area broke 90 Monday afternoon and were expected to do so again Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.

A weather service outlook indicated Tuesday would be the hottest day of the week.

"Heat index values will be near or above 100 degrees on Tuesday and may approach 100 again on Wednesday for some locations in Northwest and North Central Ohio," the outlook reads. "Stay tuned for updates as heat advisories may be needed. Precautions should be taken to stay cool."

Damaging winds and 'isolated larger hail'

Wednesday evening's storm will materialize over the next couple days.

"We'll have more information as we get a little bit closer," Kennedy said.

Wind gusts are expected to top 60 mph during the storm.

"We can't rule out tornadoes with any severe storm," Kennedy said. "Maybe some isolated larger hail, but the damaging wind seems like it would be the main threat for that system."

Rainfall totals are forecast at less than ¼ with higher amounts possible in local thunderstorms.

Highs will remain warm for the next week

Things will seem a little cooler after the storm, but not by much.

"It won't be too significant," Kennedy said. "We're probably looking mid to upper 80s still, so it won't won't drop significantly, but it'll still be noticeable."

Highs for the next week are forecast at 94 Tuesday, 94 Wednesday, 86 Thursday, 90 Friday, 83 Saturday and 82 Sunday.

Labor Day is still a little too many days away to predict with certainty, but early projections show it could be sunny with a high of 75.

ztuggle@gannett.com

419-564-3508

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: 'Precautions should be taken': Blistering heat to be followed by severe storms Wednesday