Triple-digit heat and possible dangerous heat indices of up to 110 are on the way.
The sweltering heat will start this weekend and continue into Tuesday next week.
“For each of the days it’s looking like the highs will be in the upper 90s if not close to 100. The hottest days will be Monday and Tuesday where both days are forecast to be 99 to 100 degrees,” Tim Humphrey, meteorologist with the National Weather Service-Lake Charles, said. With humidity factored in it will feel closer to 105 to 110.”
The heat index combines air temperature and relative humidity and is a calculation for what it would feel like in the shade, he said. IN direct sunlight that number is 10 to 15 degrees higher.
High temperatures and heat indices can lead to heat related illnesses.
“Any time it is above the 105 to 110 range the likelihood of heat related illnesses increases and becomes more likely,” he said, adding that if this happens the NWS will issue heat advisories to alert the public about the potential.
Last week the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a ‘call to action’ for Houston area employers, which includes the southeast Texas area, for employers to protect outdoor workers from heat illnesses after four heat related illnesses were reported.
Of the four hospitalizations, one of the persons was working in Port Arthur, Juan Rodriguez, media contact for OHSA, said.
OSHA has developed  a free app to help make employers and employees aware of the heat dangers. The OSHA Heat Tool also displays a risk level for outdoors workers.
The heat safety tool also gives reminders about protective measures to protect from heat related illnesses such as drinking enough fluids, scheduling rest breaks, planning for and knowing what to do in an emergency and more.
The triple digit heat will affect areas above the Interstate-10 corridor as well but without the high humidity predicted for this area, Humphrey said.
“It will be a couple of degrees warmer in the lakes area especially during the day Monday. Temps will be in the 103 to 105 range. Fortunately it will be a littler dryer humidity-wise so the heat index should still be in the 105-110 range.”
The high heat won’t make the record books though.
“Some areas will get close to record highs,” he said. “For the Beaumont-Port Arthur area most of the record highs (historically) heading into the next couple of days are generally around 105 to 107. It will be warm but just below record high range.”
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