Heat indices above 105 degrees are forecast across Johnson County on Sept. 8, as a National Weather Service (NWS) extreme heat warning remains in effect through 8 p.m.
The warning covers 11 counties in the Kansas City metro, including Johnson County and all of its cities. Temperatures are expected to reach 99 degrees Tuesday, with humidity pushing the heat index well past the triple-digit mark, the Kansas City Star reported.
NWS meteorologist Max Shaw, based at the agency's Pleasant Hill, Missouri, office, attributed the prolonged heat to a dome of high pressure parked over the Central United States. "It kind of blocks things up and keeps us in this hot pattern for an extended period of time," Shaw told the Johnson County Post on Sept. 4.
Since May 1, Johnson County MED-ACT has responded to 81 heat exhaustion calls, according to the agency's public information officer, Joe Folsom. The calls span the entire summer.
Power outages add risk
Storms that swept through the metro on Sept. 6 knocked out power to more than 23,800 Evergy customers, with Johnson County accounting for more than 1,200 of those outages, Hoodline reported. Losing air conditioning during an extreme heat event raises serious health concerns, especially for residents who rely on electricity for medical equipment. Evergy offers enrollment in its Medical Customer or Critical Customer Care Program for those who depend on life-sustaining devices.
Johnson County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Mike Kelly said Sept. 4 that outreach teams are working daily to connect people to cooling resources but that the county still lacks year-round shelter capacity.
Relief in sight
The heat dome is expected to ease Sept. 9, when the forecast high drops to 92 degrees with a 70% chance of rain. Highs later in the week are forecast in the mid-80s to low 90s.
Staying safe
The NWS urged residents to stay hydrated, remain in air-conditioned spaces, stay out of direct sun and check on neighbors and relatives. The agency warned that car interiors will reach lethal temperatures within minutes and that children and pets should never be left in unattended vehicles.
Johnson County operated two supplemental cooling centers on Labor Day, Sept. 7: Christ Community Church in Shawnee and the Salvation Army location in Olathe. The county's announcement listed those sites for Labor Day only.
Johnson County Library branches also served as cooling centers during normal hours before the holiday weekend. For current Tuesday availability, residents should check jocogov.org/heat-safety-guide or search for nearby options through United Way's 211 seasonal assistance line.
