Stay Cool as Heat Wave Hits North Coast

If you don't have air conditioning or a fan, you might want to head out and buy one, or think about spending some time at the in the lake or at the , because its going to get oppressively hot in a hurry.

While the area suffered through a record spring rainfall, the dog days of summer have arrived and this latest heat wave, an area of high pressure that is expanding, is slated to last at least a week could be the worst the area has seen in more than five years. Don’t be surprised to see records being broken locally and nationally.

"The way it has been so far this summer is there have been some warm days and then it has been seasonable," AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Dlugoenski said.

“This area of high pressure is going to get larger and cover a large part of the country from the Rockies to the East coast. Typically weather patterns last from two days to six weeks, it seems like for a period over of the next ten days temperatures are going to be in the 90s."

Sunday hit a high of 90 in Avon Lake, and although rain is in the forecast Monday, the record of 96 could be toppled with a high of 94 being predicted by the National Weather Service.

But its not just the highs that will be harsh, it will also be the overnight lows, which will linger close to 80 degrees and the high humidity, which will push heat indexes over 100 degrees and more than likely result in a heat advisory being issued along with an air quality alert.

Avon Lake residents living by the lake have one advantage: Temperatures are generally a little cooler by the lake.  

According to Dlugoenski, the heat index, which Accuweather.com refers to as “real feel,” is relative humidity, temperature and wind combined together along with the current the dew point.

"When the dew point gets above 70, that's when it is nasty outside," Mr. Dlugoenski said. "So once you get temperatures in the 90's and have dew points in the 70's, that's when you will have your heat indexes reaching over 100."

This current heatwave is expected to affect more than 40 states. The normal amount of states to see temperatures hit the 90 degree mark in a summer is just 23.

In the Greater Cleveland area, consider hitting one of . Avon Lake offers two great choices: The beaches at and . Only Veterans Park offers lifeguards.

The Cleveland area has been spared from some of the searing heat thus far, with just one day of 90 or above recorded on July 10. The hottest this summer was on June 3 when the mercury hit 93 and this week should see that mark toppled.

There is light at the end of the tunnel though. Dlugoenski says that August may have a few days above 90, the long term forecast looks to be pretty much normal.

Exposure to heat for long periods of time can be fatal. So far this year there have been five reports of heat-related deaths nationally.

Click here to see tips on staying cool during the heat wave.