Columbia - An excessive heat warning remains in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday, with temperatures expected to approach record highs set in 1936.
Today’s heat index, which is the combination of the temperature and the humidity, is expected to soar as high as 107 degrees. Heat indexes are expected to reach up to 109 degrees Tuesday and up to 105 to 108 degrees Wednesday as a dome of high pressure continues to dominate Missouri.
“The impact of this prolonged heat will make heat-related illnesses a very real and dangerous threat,” the National Weather Service said in its heat warning. People without air conditioning are urged to keep their homes or apartments well-ventilated with fans and to try to spend time in an air-conditioned place to provide a break for heat-strained bodies.
Columbia has a number of cooling centers that can be reached by public transit:
• Activity and Recreation Center, 1701 W. Ash St., Red Line
• Armory Sports and Community Center, 701 E. Ash St., Blue Line
• Columbia Public Library, 100 W. Broadway, Red Line
• Columbia Mall, 2300 Bernadette Drive, Green and Blue Lines
• Columbia/Boone County Health Department, 1005 W. Worley St., Green Line
• Columbia Parks and Recreation Office, 601 Business Loop 70, Blue Line
• Oakland Senior Center, 1301 Vandiver Drive, Suite Q, Orange Line
• Paquin Towers, 1201 Paquin St., Red Line
The heat wave is forecasted to persist through the week. On Sunday, Karl Sieczynski of the National Weather Service in St. Louis said “it’s tough to say right now” when the extreme heat will end.