Minnesotans Baking In Wednesday's Heat
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Temperatures around the state are pushing the mid- to upper-90s with dew points expected to reach a downright tropical feel by Wednesday night. Whether you're working in it, or simply outside enjoying summer, some common sense will keep you from trouble.
Farmer Wally Abraham was fond of saying that it is days like this you can actually hear the corn grow. His crops relished the hot and humid weather once summer sets in.
This summer is off to an unusual start. You can forget the old saying, "knee high by the fourth of July." The corn crop this summer is already up to our necks.
But like stalks of corn, without plenty of water, we, humans, tend to wilt.
"We manage, take breaks, drink liquids and stuff like that to keep us going," says Mike Coyer.
Coyer and his crew of eight workers spent the 95 degree day installing underground sprinklers. With the hot sun beating down, they could use a little shade.
"We drink liquids, try to find breeze or shade and take a breather once in a while. That would be great," said Coyer.
It's good advice whether you're working in it or just enjoying a summer day. At the Minnesota Twins afternoon game, fans were downing plenty of water.
One fan told us, "(I drank) like four or five bottles. I'm going for six or seven."
It takes a lot of ice to keep a truck load of fresh gulf shrimp nice and cool. But that's what john Murphy of Fabian Shrimp does whenever it gets this hot. His truck is stacked with coolers packed with ice and jumbo shrimp and crab meat.
Others around the Twin Cities were finding relief under a hat, an umbrella or in the cool waters of Como Pool.
However, hot weather -- like experienced on Wednesday -- can also be fatal. After just 10 minutes the temperature inside a locked vehicle will easily soar to 120 degrees and is still climbing.
That's why dog owner Dan Miller is aware of the dangers.
"There are a lot of children that die every year cause people forget and leave a child or animal unprotected in a vehicle. To me it's a shame," said Miller.
The City of Minneapolis is reminding people to keep your trees watered during the heat. They say trees in your yard and along boulevards need at least an inch of water every week. They say the recent rains have been helpful, but not enough to make up for nine years of drought.
