Football season may be getting underway, but the weather in Lincoln this weekend will feel more like the middle of summer. The National Weather Service in Omaha is warning that the prolonged stretch of hot weather could create increasing health risks over the next several days.
“We’re looking at temperatures through the weekend in the mid to maybe even upper 90s,” says Lead Meteorologist Clint Aegerter. “When you factor in the humidity, heat index values are going to exceed 100 degrees, maybe top out around a 105 to 108 mark in the very hottest part of the day.”
Aegerter is advising football fans coming to Memorial Stadium to take steps to prevent health related illnesses, including wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, using sunscreen and stay hydrated throughout the game.
“Yeah, we definitely want you to drink more water, or things with electrolytes too,” Aegerter says. “So your sports drinks and things like that would help as well.” The heat will also linger overnight, with lows expected to remain in the mid-70s for the next several nights.
“When those overnight temperatures stay elevated, your body doesn’t get that chance to cool down and recover, so each day you’re starting from a higher baseline,” Aegerter says. Those overnight temperatures will provide little relief for vulnerable people who don’t have easy access to air conditioning.
People are urged to take frequent breaks from the heat, check on family members, friends and neighbors who may be especially vulnerable to extreme temperatures. Forecasters are expecting temperatures to fall into the upper 80s by the end of next week, with shower and thunderstorm chances also possible.