National Weather Service Calls Heat Advisory and Air Quality Alert for Kane County

Heat indices of up to 110 degrees, chance of more thunderstorms with wind gusts up to 60 mph, heavy rain, frequent lightning.

It sounds like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse today (Monday, July 18, Rick Nagel's birthday.)

The National Weather Service, served Chicago style, says Kane County is one of the areas under a Hazardous Weather Outlook, Heat Advisory and Air Quality Alert.

Apparently, the Illinois EPA has named this an Air Pollution Action Day, due to elevated pollution levels. For more information, please go to www.epa.state.il.us.

The thing is, the heat is supposed to hang on "each day, Tuesday through Sunday," according to the NWS-Chicago.

"DUE TO THE EXPECTED ELEVATED POLLUTION LEVELS ... PERSONS ARE ENCOURAGED TO AVOID PROLONGED OUTDOOR EXERTION ... PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH PRE-EXISTING RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS."

OK, that takes care of the breathing. The storms will be coming and going the next few days, as well. As for today (July 18, Rick's birthday), it looks like a good idea not to be outside anyway during the a.m. and p.m. hours.

"UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES PIVOTING AROUND A MASSIVE DOME OF HEAT OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS COULD TRIGGER THE DEVELOPMENT OF A THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING ... AND AGAIN TONIGHT."

But, of course, you're not going to want to be outside anyway, because of the heat.

"A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR TODAY AND THIS EVENING. * TEMPS/HEAT INDEX ... HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL RISE INTO THE LOWER AND MID 90S TODAY. COMBINED WITH THE VERY MOIST AIR OVER THE AREA AFTERNOON, HEAT INDICES OF 100 TO 110 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED."

And the impacts of this kind of heat?

"THE HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY ... COMBINED WITH SKIES BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY BY MIDDAY ... WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES, SHOULD PROPER PRECAUTIONS NOT BE TAKEN.

"A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT WEATHER IS EXPECTED. HIGH TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE.

"DURING VERY HOT WEATHER IT IS CRITICAL TO STAY HYDRATED BY DRINKING PLENTY OF WATER. IN ADDITION CHECK UP ON RELATIVES ... ELDERLY AND NEIGHBOR

"TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS ... IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN POSSIBLE ... RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING.

"KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK...THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR-CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT.

"ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY...CALL 911. A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

"HIGH TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN... AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS. CHILDREN AND PETS SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT UNATTENDED IN VEHICLES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

"THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE DURING HOT WEATHER WHEN THE CAR INTERIOR CAN REACH LETHAL TEMPERATURES IN A MATTER OF MINUTES!"

I'd write some more for this story, but I think I'll go walk the dog, in celebration of my birthday, and while I have the best possible chance of escaping certain death.