Chicago weather: Extreme Heat Warning continues for area Thursday; strong storms possible
Chicago Housing Authority conducts wellness checks as heat wave strains ComEd grid
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago area had another day of dangerously high heat Thursday, with strong storms also possible.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect for DeKalb, Kane and Kendall counties until 12:15 a.m. Friday.
An Extreme Heat Warning was effect for the entire area through until the end of the day Thursday.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
ABC7 AccuWeather meteorologists said highs for Thursday will be in the mid-90s, with heat index values up to 105.
There was a chance for a few storms possible later Thursday evening.
Much of the Chicago area is under a Level 1 risk for severe weather, with some northern counties under a Level 2 risk.
For Friday, the Chicago area is under a Level 2 risk for severe weather, with the main concern being gusty winds and hail in the afternoon.
SEE ALSO | How to stay cool in Chicago area amid rising temperatures this summer: LIST
Even with the Extreme Heat Warning expiring Friday, temperatures are still forecast to remain hot, with highs near 90 degrees and heat index values in the upper 90s.
For the Fourth of July, there could be storms early in the morning and another chance for storms late in the afternoon while staying hot and humid.
Doctors and city officials are reminding people to check on neighbors, stay hydrated and use cooling centers, if needed.
The best way to avoid heat-related illness and stay safe is to stay indoors and use fans and air conditioning to keep your home cool. Limit your time outdoors. Stay out of the sun. Wear loose, light clothing and drink lots of water and fluids to remain hydrated.
The city set up cooling centers across Chicago.
People can also find relief at one of the city's public libraries, Chicago Park District fieldhouses, as well as pools and splash pads.
On Thursday, members of the Chicago Housing Authority went door to door at the Edith Spurlock Sampson Apartments on the city's north side to conduct wellness checks for senior residents.
"They check to see if the temperature is too low or too high. They also teach us how to work the thermostat," says Cruz Feliciano, a senior resident.
Another resident, David Crosby, said the checks have been thorough.
"Management sent around staff with temperature monitors and they ask them are your air conditioners working, you have plenty of water, so everybody is coming together," Crosby said.
CHA officials said they perform roughly 9,000 inperson wellbeing checks at their buildings during heat emergencies.
"Our seniors are our precious cargo, so we want to make sure we're here for them, not just today for every day," said Bertha Davis, the Director of Senior Services at CHA.
ComEd is also on high alert. They gave ABC7 a behind the scenes look go of their operations control center in Joliet as they monitor energy consumption across the region as demand reached critical levels.
"We have a lot of intelligence out on the grid that is fed back into the control center here so we're able to react immediately and respond accordingly," said Ryan Mayer, senior manager at the facility.
ComEd President and CEO Gil Quiniones said customers have helped ease strain on the system.
"I'm grateful to our customers because during this prolonged heat wave they really responded to our call to use energy more wisely," he said. "So a lot of our customers especially in the region where our grid was strained on the west side of Chicago and even further west suburb areas of Chicago we made a specific call the past few days to reduce their energy usage, and we actually obtained 10 megawatts of load reduction which is great," Quiniones said.
ComEd continues to ask all customers to reduce electricity, especially between noon and 8 p.m.
