THE WEEKEND.
TODAY, GOVERNOR TONY EVERS
DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY
FOR THE CITY OF MADISON AND DANE
COUNTY DUE TO POWER OUTAGES AND
EXTREME HEAT.
>> THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
DECLARES SOUTHERN WISCONSIN IS
IN THE THROAS THROES OF AN EXCESSIVE
HEAT.
THE STATE CAPITOL CLOSED FRIDAY.
THAT'S BECAUSE TWO SUBSTATION
FIRES AT MADISON GAS AND
ELECTRIC CAUSED POWER OUTAGES
ACROSS THE DOWNTOWN.
THE UTILITY SAYS IT IS NOT
BELIEVED THE STRAIN OF
EXCESSTIVE HEAT CAUSED THE FIRES
AND OUTAGES.
THEY SAID IT WAS A MECHANICAL
ISSUE.
BUT THE CAUSE WAS UNDER
INVESTIGATION.
AT THE SAME TIME, SOUTHWEST
WISCONSIN SAW ROADS AND HIGHWAYS
CLOSED BECAUSE OF FLOODING AFTER
NEARLY SIX INCHES OF RAIN
THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY.
>> WE CHECK IN NOW WITH TIM HALL
HALLBACK ON THE PHONE FROM
MILWAUKEE.
SO THE GOVERNOR DECLARES THIS
STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR MADISON
AND DANE COUNTY BECAUSE HOW
DANGEROUS ARE POWER OUTAGES IN
THE MIDST OF THIS KIND OF
EXTREME HOT WEATHER?
>> WELL, EVERYBODY REALLY RELIES
ON THEIR AIR CONDITIONING TO
KEEP THEM COOL DURING THESE
TIMES WHEN WE HAVE EXTREME HEAT
LIKE THIS.
IT'S PRETTY RARE FOR US TO GET
TO THESE TYPES OF THRESHOLDS OF
HEAT AND THAT COMBINATION OF
THAT WITH THE HUMIDITY.
SO PEOPLE REALLY RELY ON THAT
AIR CONDITIONING TO KEEP THEM
COOL.
SO IF THAT GOES AWAY, THAT COULD
BE A BIG ISSUE FOR PEOPLE TO TRY
TO BEAT THE HEAT.
>> WHAT IS YOUR PREDICTION AS TO
ACTUALLY HOW HOT THAT HEAT
INDEX, THAT FEELS LIKE
TEMPERATURE, IS GOING TO BE
FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY MORNING?
>> YEAH.
SO FOR TODAY SOME OF OUR HIGH
TEMPERATURES OR THE TEMPERATURES
THAT WE'RE SITTING AT RIGHT NOW,
THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES THAT ARE
BETWEEN 90 TO 95 DEGREES FOR THE
AIR TEMPERATURE, AND THEN ON TOP
OF THAT MOST PLACES HAVE A
DEW POINT OF AROUND 80, WHICH
NORMALLY WHEN YOU GET TO ABOUT
65 TO 70 FOR A DEW POINT, THAT'S
WHEN YOU START FEELING THE
HUMIDITY.
IT'S VERY RARE FOR US TO GET
THAT HIGH.
SO THAT COMBINATION OF THE AIR
TEMPERATURE AND THE DEW POINT
LIKE THAT IS WHAT'S CAUSING THE
HEAT INDEX TO BE SO HIGH.
AND RIGHT NOW SOME OF THE
MEASUREMENTS WE HAVE ARE THE
HEAT INDEX UP AROUND 110, 115
DEGREES, A VERY DANGEROUS
SITUATION WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT
NOW.
WE DID EXTEND THE EXCESSIVE HEAT
WARNING FOR THE SOUTHERN PART OF
THE STATE UNTIL TOMORROW GOING
INTO THE AFTERNOON.
SO THAT INCLUDES DANE COUNTY AS
WELL.
>> OKAY.
SO WHEN THE INDEX GETS INTO THAT
RANGE, IT'S DANGEROUS EVEN FOR
ON HEALTHY PEOPLE.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
YEAH.
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO BE DOING
ANYTHING UNNECESSARILY OUTSIDE.
THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS TYPICALLY
WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING ON
THEIR OWN THAT MIGHT HAVE HEALTH
ISSUES THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE GONE
AND PUT THEIR AIR CONDITIONING
UNIT INTO THEIR WINDOW EVEN IF
THEY HAD POWER.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WE ALWAYS
TELL, CHECK ON THEM, YOUR
NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS OR FAMILY
MEMBERS THAT MIGHT BE LIVING ON
THEIR OWN THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO UNTIL PUT IN THAT AIR
CONDITIONING UNIT.
SO ON DANGEROUS ALL AROUND.
>> MEANWHILE, IT SEEMS LIKE
THERE IS POTENTIALLY SOME WILD
WEATHER OUT THERE.
I'VE SEEN TORNADO WATCHINGS, IN
MINNESOTA TORNADO WARNINGS.
THERE'S BEEN FLOODING IN
SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE
STATUS OF THAT FLOODING?
>> A LOT OF HEAVY RAIN THAT FELL
OVERNIGHT FROM THE LA CROSSE
AREA THROUGH SOUTHWESTERN
WISCONSIN.
THEY HAD ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE
INCHES OF RAINFALL, STORMS THAT
DIDN'T MOVE AND KEPT DROPPING A
LOT OF RAINFALL IN THE SAME
AREA.
THAT CAUSED QUITE A BIT OF FLASH
FLOOD WARNINGS LAST NIGHT.
THE KICKAPOO RIVER BASIN JUMPED
UP AND WILL BE GOING INTO THE
MODERATE FLOOD STAGE THERE AS
WELL.
SO QUITE A BIT OF FLOODING IN
THAT PORTION OF THE STATE FROM
THE OVERNIGHT STORMS.
>> WHAT ARE WE GEARING UP FOR
OVER THE WEEKEND?
MORE STORMS?
MORE RAIN?
MORE HEAT?
>> YEAH.
THE INITIAL CONCERN IS FOR
TONIGHT IN THE NORTHERN PART OF
THE STATE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE VERY
WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE AND
POTENTIAL FOR LONG TRACK TORNADO
SET UP UP THERE.
SO THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT THAT
SEVERE WEATHER.
THE HEAT CONTINUES INTO TOMORROW
MORNING AND AFTERNOON FOR THE
SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE.
THAT'S WHY WE EXTENDED THE
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING FOR THE
SOUTHERN PART.
WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON
IN THAT SAME AREA.
SO PRETTY ACTIVE STRETCH GOING
INTO SATURDAY.
LOOKS LIKE SUNDAY THROUGH THE
REST OF NEXT WEEK LOOKS TO BE ON
THE CALMER SIDE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR OUR
PERSONAL WEATHER UPDATE.
THANKS.
>> NO PROBLEM.