We are under an excessive heat watch

Baby, it’s hot outside.

The National Weather Service office in Cleveland has issued an excessive heat watch for Youngstown and many other communities across Ohio.

These hot and humid conditions are expected today through Saturday.

An excessive heat watch is issued when a prolonged period of hot weather is expected. High temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a dangerous situation in which heat illnesses are possible.

Affected counties in the watch are Erie-Lorain-Cuyahoga-Huron-Medina-Summit-Portage-Trumbull-Richland-Ashland-Wayne-Stark-Mahoning-Holmes-Knox. These include the cities of Sandusky, Lorain, Cleveland, Norwalk, Medina, Akron, Ravenna, Warren, Mansfield, Ashland, Wooster, Canton, Youngstown, Millersburg, and Mount Vernon.

Heat index values — Up to 109 possible due to temperatures in the mid 90s, and dewpoints in the mid 70s.

Timing — Friday afternoon through Saturday evening. The highest heat index values will possibly occur in the late afternoon into the early evening but little relief will occur overnight with low temperatures only dipping to the 70s to nearly 80 degrees.

Impacts— The heat and humidity may cause heat stress during outdoor exertion or extended exposure.