From cold towels to early dismissal, people are finding ways to cope with a 2nd day of heat wave

CHICAGO (AP) — As a second straight day of hot soupy temperatures approaching triple digits hung over much of the Midwest on Tuesday, residents looked for ways to stay cool and indoors.

Darrell Taylor, 61, has no air-conditioning in his apartment in Chicago, where it reached a record-breaking 98 degrees Fahrenheit. He described it as feeling like an oven. Running two fans did not improve things.

“I put a cold towel on my face. It’s only working a little bit,” he said before retreating to the home of a relative who has air conditioning.

The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings and advisories Tuesday in large swaths of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and into Mid-Atlantic states including Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The weather service warned of “dangerously hot conditions” and predicted heat index values — which take into account the temperature and relative humidity and indicate how hot it feels outdoors — of up to 110 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit in some locations, including Chicago. The city's high broke the record of 97 degrees set for this day in 1973, according to the weather service.

But relief was expected soon, with cooler temperatures expected starting Wednesday.

“The heat still persists across the middle part of the country but there is some much cooler air working in by the end of the month,” Josh Weiss, a National Weather Service meteorologist said.

Many cities, including Chicago, opened cooling centers. Some schools planned early dismissal because of the heat. An Indiana zoo cut its hours while a Chicago zoo gave animals ice treats. And one Chicago church collected thousands bottles of water to give away.

Numerous schools in Ohio planned for early dismissals on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the expected heat, while some schools canceled classes due to power outages. Chicago schools started the academic year as planned this week, but school officials announced that outdoor athletics were canceled through Tuesday. Some suburban Chicago schools had early dismissal. Also, dozens of Philadelphia city schools without adequate air conditioning planned early dismissal Tuesday and Wednesday.

Members of St. Sabina Catholic Church on Chicago’s South Side, collected over 4,000 bottles of water to give away as temperatures climbed. The National Weather Service said the temperature reached 98, which

“We’re blessing people with water because it is a very hot day," Meryle Davie-Hawthorne said as she passed out bottles kept cold from coolers full of ice. “We just want to help out.”

In other places, residents were warned against using longtime methods to stay cool.

Officials in southwestern Michigan’s Kalamazoo, where temperatures were expected to reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit, asked residents to stop opening fire hydrants.

“There has been a large increase in the unauthorized private use of city of Kalamazoo fire hydrants,” the city said on X, formerly Twitter. “Some private citizens are taking it upon themselves to open fire hydrants. Please note that opening and closing fire hydrants can cause serious injury.”

Much of northern and eastern Missouri was under a heat advisory Tuesday. The high temperature in St. Louis was expected to approach 100 degrees, with a slight risk of storms. The region, accustomed to hot and sultry August weather, was largely taking the heat in stride, with few cancellations reported.

Meanwhile in Minnesota, a line of powerful thunderstorms packing high winds plowed across the state early Tuesday, causing widespread power outages and tree damage. The Minnesota State Fair in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights opened two hours late Tuesday morning so that fair officials could assess the damage and clean up the debris and rides on the Midway were temporarily halted.

Winds gusted as high as 64 mph in St. Paul, the National Weather Service said. Xcel Energy, the largest electrical utility in Minnesota, said over 144,000 of its customers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area were still without power by 9 a.m. Tuesday.

At Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, staff made sure animals had access to shade and gave out ice treats to encourage hydration.

“People think animals are adapted to weather extremes like heat because they come from more tropical areas," said Dave Bernier, the zoo's general curator. "But they’re really Chicagoans just like us and they experience the same weather we do.”

In Indiana, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo said it would close at 3 p.m. Tuesday because of the excessive heat, according to its Facebook page.

The zoo also offered tips to stay cool from its resident expert, Penny the ostrich.

“Flap and fan your wings to keep yourself cool,” the zoo said in a post featuring Penny pictures. “Use your long, flexible neck to better control your head temperature.”

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Associated Press reporters Teresa Crawford in Chicago, Corey Williams in Detroit, Jim Salter in O’Fallon, Missouri, Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis, Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River, New Jersey, and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.

A cyclists, right, sits under the shade of a tree as others walk along Lake Michigan on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, as a second straight day of hot soupy temperatures approaching triple digits hung over much of the Midwest on Tuesday, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Construction worker works outside of commercial building site during a hot weather in Mount Prospect, Ill., Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Construction worker walks past a residential building site during hot weather in Wheeling, Ill., Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Samara Balans, 41, of Bronzeville, cools off in the water feature at River Park on the Northwest Side as temperatures across Chicago hit a high of 97 degrees, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

Gonzalo Garcia walks on North Avenue Beach selling ice cream on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Chicago. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune via AP)

John Nguyen sprays water to cool off after shooting hoops during a hot weather day in Deerfield, Ill., Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A pedestrian rides a scooter across DuSable Lake Shore Drive as heat from the pavement distorts a photograph Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, as a second straight day of hot soupy temperatures approaching triple digits hung over much of the Midwest in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

A pedestrian rides a scooter across DuSable Lake Shore Drive as heat from the pavement distorts a photograph Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, as a second straight day of hot soupy temperatures approaching triple digits hung over much of the Midwest in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

A man sits under the shade of a between the Field Museum and She'd Aquarium on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, as a second straight day of hot soupy temperatures approaching triple digits hung over much of the Midwest in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

A boat rides along the riverwalk in the loop, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Chicago. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

People sit along the riverwalk in the loop, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Chicago, as temperatures reached a high in the upper 90's. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

FILE - Volunteers from Saint Sabina Church distributed bottles of cold water to passing motorists at a busy South Side intersection in Chicago, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford, File)

FILE - Volunteers from Saint Sabina Church climb aboard a bus to distribute bottles of cold water at a busy South Side intersection in Chicago, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford, File)

A jogger runs along the riverwalk in the loop, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, as temperatures reached a high in the upper 90's. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

A construction worker hydrates at the Shedd Aquarium Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, as a second straight day of hot soupy temperatures approaching triple digits hung over much of the Midwest in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Bob Boyle, center, of Des Moines, Iowa, stands in the water with his grandchildren Abby, left, and Judah Boyle at Gray's Lake Park, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Judah, left, and Abby Boyle, of Des Moines, Iowa, splash in the water at the beach at Gray's Lake Park, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Children run through the Whirlpool Compass Fountain as the sun sets during a heat wave Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in St. Joseph, Mich. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)

John Nguyen sprays water to cool off after shooting hoops during a hot weather day in Deerfield, Ill., Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

John Nguyen shoots hoops during a hot weather day in Deerfield, Ill., Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Construction workers start their day as the sun rises on the new Republic Airlines headquarters building in Carmel, Ind., Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Construction workers start their day as the sun rises on the new Republic Airlines headquarters building in Carmel, Ind., Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Authorities in Mexico's resort-studded Los Cabos area warned tourists and residents alike to stay inside Friday as Tropical Storm Ileana began to pound the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula with rain.

Ileana formed Thursday off the Pacific coast of Mexico and was lumbering north-northwest at 7 mph (11 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. The forecast path would take it over or near the twin resorts of San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.

Ileana was centered about 35 miles (90 kilometers) east-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, the center said in a Friday afternoon advisory. Maximum sustained winds were at 45 mph (75 kph), and Ileana was expected to reach the coast in the next few hours.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for portions of the Baja California Peninsula, including Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Forecasters predicted 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of rain would fall with Ileana, and up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) was possible for coastal areas of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco states through Friday.

Ileana is expected to move across the southern portion of the Baja California peninsula Friday and over the southern and central Gulf of California this weekend.

Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in portions of Baja California Sur during the next several hours where Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect. This heavy rainfall will bring a risk of flash flooding and mudslides to portions of western Mexico and southern Baja California.

Los Cabos Civil Protection issued a red alert for Los Cabos and La Paz on Friday morning. “Stay totally indoors, do not go outside until authorities advise, and be aware of alerts issued by authorities,” they shared on Facebook.

They also urged residents to avoid crossing rivers, streams, and low areas where they can be swept away by water.

All schools in Los Cabos were also suspended Friday due to the storm.

Óscar Cruces Rodríguez of Mexico’s federal Civil Protection said in a statement that residents should avoid leaving their homes until the storm passes and if residents are in an area at risk of flooding to find temporary shelters.

Authorities prepared 20 temporary shelters in San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, according to Los Cabos Civil Protection.

At the Hacienda Beach Club and Residences in Cabo San Lucas, valet worker Alan Galvan said the rain arrived late Thursday night and has been constant. “The rain isn't very strong right now, but the waves are choppy," he said.

“The guests are very calm and already came down for coffee,” Galvan said. “There's some flights canceled but everything is ok at the moment.” Galvan said they are awaiting further advisories from authorities.

Felipe Gomez, a worker at the Vibrant Cabo San Lucas Marina Restaurant was the first to arrive at work, but was awaiting orders from management on whether they would close.

“Honestly it’s pretty ugly right now, the whole main boulevard is flooded and all the businesses are closed,” he said.

“I’m waiting for them to confirm and then I’ll go home," he said. "I hope it gets better and conditions don’t worsen.”

Hotels stand along the shore before the arrival of Tropical Storm Ileana in San Jose de los Cabos, Mexico, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Figaredo)

This satellite image taken at 12:40 pm ET on Sept. 13, 2024, provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows Tropical Storm Ileana at Mexico's southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. (NOAA via AP)