Heat related deaths and injuries on the rise across the U.S.

Heat continues to remain a problem following much of the Midwest into the end of August. This has resulted in a multi-day stretch of triple digit heat indices across mid-Missouri that looks to last through Thursday.

Heat remains the deadliest weather related causation over the past ten years with flooding coming in a distant second place for the United States.

Katherine Rodriguez with the Columbia Fire Department reported that they had responded to two heat-related incident calls earlier today while Eric Hoy with the Cole County EMS reports one response yesterday (8/26/27) and one today.

When comparing the 30-year average to the last ten years, and just last years numbers, there is a steady increase in heat related deaths.

Precautions should be taken during this prolonged heat wave for anybody who will be working outdoors as Missouri sees increased dew points meaning the rate of sweat evaporation slows. This means temperature regulation by the body becomes less efficient.

The heat index looks to remain near the triple digit threshold or just over for much of Mid-Missouri lasting through Thursday afternoon before an incoming cold frontal passage looks to calm temperatures and dew points.