LIVE BLOG: Midwest sets all time electricity use record Monday

4:30 p.m. | The excessive heat warning issued for the Kansas City area has been extended until 9 p.m. Friday as the dangerous heat and humidity continue.

Affected Kansas counties include Miami, Linn, Leavenworth, Wyandotte and Johnson. Affected Missouri counties include Clinton, Caldwell, Livingston, Linn, Macon, Platte, Ray, Carroll, Chariton, Rudolph, Jackson, Lafayette, Saline, Howard, Cass, Johnson, Pettis, Cooper, Bates and Henry.

4 p.m. | Ms. Margo Carman's kindergarten class learned about how crayons are affected by heat in class Tuesday.

The Fairmount Elementary students even took a quick trip outside to touch the melted writing utensils.

Independence School District

1 p.m. | Halsey Street at 67th in Shawnee is closed due to a water main break.

Repairs are expected to take two days. Thus, the intersection will remain closed until
the work is complete.

A WaterOne spokesperson told KSHB 41 that hot and dry weather can cause the ground to shift, which was likely the culprit behind the 16-inch main break.

Service has been restored to nearly 80 customers.

12 p.m. | Temperatures are so high Tuesday that even swimming pools are closing.

Olathe Parks & Rec announced that Mill Creek Pool closed at noon Tuesday, and will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, due to the blazing heat.

Shawnee Mission School District also announced that for the second day in a row, all secondary level after-school activities must take place indoors Tuesday. Blue Springs Schools will also hold activities indoors when the heat index is at 95 degrees or higher, or when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature is above 90 degrees for middle schools and 92 degrees for high schools.

10 a.m. | We're starting to get a better picture of the impacts of Monday's record temperatures.

The Southwest Power Pool, the organization that helps to balance electricity generation and demand across several states in the Midwest including Kansas and Missouri, said that customers used an all-time high amount of elecricity Monday.

SPP says just before 4:30 p.m. Monday, it reported a peak demand of 56,184 MW.

For the second consecutive day, the Southwest Power Pool has issued a Conservative Operations Advisory that serves as a reminder to electricity producers of potential threats. The advisory does not necessarily call for any changes in customer behavior. Learn more on SPP's website.

Also on Monday, the National Weather Service says its weather station at Kansas City International Airport - which serves as the official weather reporting station for the Kansas City area - set an all-time heat index reading Monday afternoon of 122 degrees.

KSHB

9 a.m. | The Kansas City Chiefs are getting a head start on the rising temperatures Tuesday by holding practice early.

8 a.m. | Tuesday will be another scorcher, with an excessive heat warning remaining in place until 10 p.m. Thursday in the Kansas City area.

KSHB 41 meteorologist Lindsey Anderson forecasts a high temperature of 98 degrees Tuesday, with the heat index reaching 115-125 degrees.

Kansas Citians are finding ways to avoid the heat, and that goes for their pooches, too.

Bar K announced its off-leash dog parks will be closed from noon-6 p.m. through Thursday to help keep pets safe. The Bark K restaurant, bar and patio will remain open during normal hours.

The dog bar shared information from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) on social media about the warning signs of heat stroke in dogs, which include heavy panting, excessive thirst, a bright red tongue and mucus membranes, thick saliva, vomiting, lethargy and more.

SPCA says if a dog has a body temperature of 104 degrees for more than 15 minutes, they are at risk of collapsing, seizures, comas, organ failure and death. Short-nosed dogs, long-haired dogs, puppies and elderly dogs are most at risk.

To help offset the dog park closures in the afternoon, Bar K announced extended hours for Wednesday night, keeping the parks open until 11 p.m.

"Bring your glow-in-the-dark collars and leashes, and we’ll have a little impromptu Beat-the-Heat Party," the business shared on social media.

While pups may be staying at the dog park later this week, some KC-area students will be heading home earlier in the day.

Kansas City, Missouri, Public Schools announced Monday the sweltering heat has forced the district to release all students early for the remainder of the week. Additional information on release times can be found here.

The Shawnee Mission School District, the Olathe School District and the Kansas City, Kansas, School District also announced Monday that outdoor after-school and afternoon activities will be moved inside or canceled.

Spring Hill School District Superintendent Dr. Link Luttrell shared photos early Tuesday of the high school's fall sports teams practicing outside, a measure to reduce the risk of heat exposure.

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