Heat in Mccracken, Kentucky

Surface high pressure located over the Deep South remained nearly stationary. A persistent hot and humid southwest wind flow around this high brought an extended period of dangerously high heat indices, ranging from 105 to 110 degrees on several afternoons. In northern Christian County, heat was ruled as the secondary cause of death (indirect fatality) following an ATV accident. The primary cause of death was asphyxiation when the ATV rolled on top of him. About 40 people were treated at Paducah hospitals for heat illnesses, and at least five were treated at an Owensboro hospital. An exact count was not available from most hospitals. Schools moved sports team workouts indoors or cancelled them. The state highway department altered its hours for outdoor workers to begin earlier in the morning and end earlier in the afternoon. Cooling shelters were opened in Paducah, Madisonville, Hopkinsville, Owensboro, and Mclean County. Some utilities set usage records, including Kentucky Utilities and TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority).