U.S. Chicago braces for excessively hot days

CHICAGO, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Morning exercisers in the Chicago metropolitan area felt hot and humid air early Wednesday as they attempted to make the most of the lingering coolness to do their routine exercise.

The National Weather Service is expecting dangerously hot conditions in parts of the Chicago area as the heat index may reach up to 115 Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius) on Wednesday and Thursday, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday.

An excessive heat warning has been issued from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Wednesday for much of northern Illinois. And an excessive heat watch will be in effect for the same area from Wednesday evening to Thursday evening.

Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications has sent out a statement listing the city's 27 cooling centers as well as Chicago Public Library locations and Chicago Park District field houses for residents and visitors to find relief from the heat.

The Salvation Army is also opening its community centers as cooling centers across Chicago, the statement said.

In an email to district families on Tuesday, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Pedro Martinez said the school district has postponed all outdoor athletic events and will either be canceling practices or moving them indoors during the heat wave.

Martinez suggests students bring full water bottles to school, and they can refill water bottles throughout the day. Other measures planned for Wednesday and Thursday include opening windows and doors to keep air circulating; closing shades, turning off overhead lights and limiting recess.

All CPS classrooms are equipped with air conditioning, Martinez wrote, and the CPS facilities team will be working with schools to fix any air conditioning systems that may encounter issues this week.

Weather officials have warned that the extreme heat combined with humidity increases the chance for heat-related illness, recommending drinking plenty of fluids and staying in air-conditioned rooms.