LINCOLN, Neb. -- An
unusual, late-summer heat wave has enveloped much of the Midwest, putting
schools and sports events on hold.
Schools in Illinois have announced they will close early
Tuesday due to the extreme heat, including West Aurora, North Aurora,
Montgomery, and Sugar Grove. On Monday Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, the Dakotas
and Illinois let out early as temperatures crept toward the mid-90s - beyond in
some places. After-school sports practices and evening games were canceled in
St. Paul, Minn., and misting stations were keeping people cool at the Minnesota
State Fair, where about 90 fairgoers had been treated for heat-related
illnesses over the weekend.
The heat wave is supposed to last through much of the week,
the National Weather Service said. Heat of this magnitude is unusual for this
time of year, but not unprecedented. In Des Moines, Iowa, for instance,
temperatures on Aug. 26 have reached at least 100 degrees at least six times
since 1881. School districts took precautions, not wanting to put students and
teachers in sweaty - and possibly dangerous - situations.
In central Iowa, Marshalltown Community School District
administrators canceled afternoon preschool classes on Monday and Tuesday and
were planning to release other students two hours early. Parts of all 10 of
district buildings have air conditioning, but some rooms aren't connected.
"The buildings can heat up pretty fast, especially when
you have kids in there," district spokesman Jason Staker said. "It's
not a good environment for students or teachers."
http://www.weather.com/news/midwest-heat-wave-closes-schools-early-20130827
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