Cooling centers are opening around Missouri as high temperatures and humidity create dangerous conditions.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that some public swimming pools are extending hours in Springfield, where the heat index is expected to top 100 degrees through the weekend before dropping back into the 80s next week.
In Joplin, city buildings were opened to the public to provide relief to those without air conditioning. The city health department's assistant director, Ryan Talken, told The Joplin Globe that people should delay outdoor work until the evening.
At the Boone County Fair, animal-filled tents were constantly being monitored by people taking shifts in the heat. The Columbia Missourian reports that most of the steers had water buckets in front of them and fans blowing cool air onto their heads.
