The area’s high temperature is supposed to reach at least 90 degrees today and Thursday

July 28, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

boardman

William Kofalt usually attracts a lot of attention while wearing one of his puppy costumes on the corner of U.S. Route 224 and Market Street.

The 29-year-old Boardman resident, who wears the costume as a live advertiser for Harbor Pet Center, said concerned citizens often tell him and others at the store that he should stay indoors when the weather is miserably hot or cold.

But he wants it to stop.

“The weather doesn’t bother me at all,” he said. “I’m completely fine outside.”

He and others working outdoors will be tested today and Wednesday as the temperatures are expected to hit 90 and 92 degrees, respectively.

The Mahoning Valley hasn’t had a day reach 90 degrees since Sept. 11, 2013, when it hit that temperature, said Eric Wilhelm, chief meteorologist for 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner.

“We’ve gone almost two years without a 90-degree day,” he said. “The humidity will not be through the roof, so we won’t hit a heat index of 100 degrees. It may feel like 95.”

But chances of hitting at least 90 degrees end Thursday.

The area will have above-normal temperatures through Sunday – with highs between 83 and 86 degrees – which is still above the average high temperature of 81 degrees for this time of the year, said Karen Oudeman, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Cleveland.

Kofalt has donned the puppy costume in the heat, cold, rain and snow for about six years. Ray Greenwood, inventory manager of Harbor Pet, said Kofalt knows what he’s doing.

“He prefers to wear the costume because that’s what he does,” he said. “We try to explain to people – it’s his call.”

Greenwood added that Kofalt is very effective as a live advertiser for the store and helps increase sales.

“People say they can’t see the store from the street,” he said.

The sunny and warm Monday afternoon didn’t faze Kofalt as he continuously waved in a yellow-colored puppy costume to drivers, with some of them honking, pointing or waving back. He stays cool by keeping two half-gallon jugs of water on hand and an ice pack inside his costume.

Kofalt has 14 costumes including four puppy ones. He works about 40 hours a week for Harbor Pet from Wednesdays through Mondays. Earlier this year, he started wearing a chicken costume for the Alternative Smokes-Nader’s Vapors, a vapor store, on Belmont Avenue on Monday nights and Tuesday afternoons. About a month ago, he started wearing a cow costume for the Smokin’ Gun Saloon’s $7.99 burger specials in North Lima.

“I don’t have to wear the outfit – I choose to wear the outfit,” he said.

In the winter, he wears layers of clothing under his costume. During nights, he uses an LED light to make himself visible to drivers.

“The only time I’m not outside is when it’s thundering or lightning,” he said.