Photo showing heat rising from the buildings near the highway 52 area.

Everyone felt the sweltering heat that arrived in the area today as air temperature rose to there highest levels of the season so far making it into the upper 90s nearing 100.F. The cause of the hot weather is a very fast moving warm front that pushed in a very hot airmass in from the west which was building the past few days. It was not so much the temperature it was the humidity becuase what made conditions worse is it was an extremely humid tropical-like day with dewpoints rising near 80.F in the afternoon, this sent heat index values, what we actually feel on our bodies to rise into the lower to middle 100s!

 Image from Weather.com webside.

This image of the highs across the midwest shows some of the true nature of the hot airmass which in this image shows 100s peaking out in Nebraska and Iowa and Missouri, Middle 90s were seen as far north as about Minneapolis.

Highs reported in the area.

The highest area wide temp which was official was 97.F degrees from Dodge Center which had a head index of 108.F Other area temps were well about 90 in the middle 90s range. In my heat island effected backyard of West Downtown Rochester the high was 98.F with a heat index of 108.F.  This is the hottest of the year so far at my station. Many other upper 90 degree temperatures were seen in the city. Officially where our airport is located well outside of the cities valley and bulidings the temperature was 93.F.