ST. LOUIS, Missouri — If you live anywhere near Chicago, St. Louis, or Nashville, this weekend is not the time to be outside.
Feels-like temperatures across the Midwest and Ohio Valley are set to turn brutal Saturday and Sunday, with some cities pushing well into triple digits — and the nights offering almost no escape.
Saturday Already Hits Triple Digits
On Saturday, August 8, St. Louis is projected to feel like 100 degrees by late afternoon.
Chicago comes in at 93 degrees feels-like, with Peoria and Springfield, Illinois matching that same mark. Nashville is expected to reach 99 degrees, and Louisville and Lexington are not far behind at 95 and 90 degrees respectively.
Even cities on the cooler northern edge of the heat dome — like Milwaukee and Madison — will sit in the low 80s and upper 70s. Uncomfortable for everyone.
Sunday Gets Worse
The heat intensifies heading into Sunday, August 9.
St. Louis climbs to a feels-like 104 degrees. Nashville hits 102. Chicago reaches 99. Evansville and Louisville both push into the triple digits, and Cincinnati climbs to 97 degrees.
The zone of most dangerous heat is expanding — covering a wider stretch of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee by Sunday afternoon.
The Nights Offer No Break
This is what makes this weekend especially dangerous.
Overnight temperatures are expected to stay elevated both nights, meaning the body never fully cools down before the next day’s heat arrives. That kind of compounding heat stress — day after day without relief — is when heat-related illness becomes most likely, particularly for the elderly, young children, and anyone without reliable air conditioning.
Stay hydrated, stay indoors during peak afternoon hours, and check on your neighbors.
How are you planning to beat the heat this weekend? Let us know in the comments.