Heat Advisory

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO 324 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012 BOURBON-CRAWFORD-CHEROKEE-VERNON-BARTON-CEDAR-POLK-JASPER-DADE- GREENE-NEWTON-LAWRENCE-CHRISTIAN-MCDONALD-BARRY-STONE-TANEY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FORT SCOTT...PITTSBURG... BAXTER SPRINGS...COLUMBUS...NEVADA...LAMAR...EL DORADO SPRINGS... STOCKTON...BOLIVAR...JOPLIN...CARTHAGE...GREENFIELD... SPRINGFIELD...NEOSHO...AURORA...MOUNT VERNON...NIXA...OZARK... ANDERSON...PINEVILLE...MONETT...CASSVILLE...KIMBERLING CITY... GALENA...BRANSON...FORSYTH 324 AM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * TIMING AND AREAS AFFECTED...THE WESTERN MISSOURI OZARKS AND FAR SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING. * TEMPERATURE...TEMPERATURES AND HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL CLIMB TO 100 TO 103 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG WITH MORE CLOUD COVER WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE MORNING...WHICH MAY KEEP TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. * IMPACTS...THIS EXTENDED PERIOD OF VERY WARM TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY INCREASE THE RISK OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES. YOUNG CHILDREN...THE ELDERLY...AND THOSE WITHOUT ACCESS TO AIR CONDITIONING WILL BE PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN POSSIBLE...RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.