CHICAGO (AP) -- Midwest residents woke Tuesday to the whir of fans and air conditioners, the soundtrack to an unusually intense heat wave enveloping most of middle America and slowly spreading eastward.
From Texas to the Dakotas, and east to Illinois and Indiana, temperatures and humidity levels soared on Monday and were expected to remain high through at least the end of the week, by which time forecasters say the East Coast will get to share the misery.
Seventeen states issued heat watches, warnings or advisories on Monday, when the heat index easily surpassed 100 degrees in many places, including 126 in Newton, Iowa, and 119 in Madison, Minn. (35 images)
From Texas to the Dakotas, and east to Illinois and Indiana, temperatures and humidity levels soared on Monday and were expected to remain high through at least the end of the week, by which time forecasters say the East Coast will get to share the misery.
Seventeen states issued heat watches, warnings or advisories on Monday, when the heat index easily surpassed 100 degrees in many places, including 126 in Newton, Iowa, and 119 in Madison, Minn. (35 images)
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Luke McCrory, 5, from Coopersville, cools off in front of a giant fan at the Berlin Fair in Marne, Mich., Tuesday, July 19, 2011. The Grand Rapids Press / Cory Morse
A woman waits for a taxi in a heavy rain in Minneapolis on Tuesday July 19, 2011. A strong thunderstorm system packed heavy rains and strong winds as it darkened skies over the greater Twin Cities area. The Star Tribune / Richard Sennott
Miniimah Rashid, 13, lets the water from one of the fountains at the Windsor Village Spray Park to run over her face as temperatures rose above 90 degrees in Indianapolis, Tuesday, July 19, 2011. AP / Michael Conroy
Alan Perez, from Wilmington, N.C., seeks shelter from the sun under an umbrella while holding a stop sign to close a road for debris removal Tuesday, July 19, 2011 in Joplin, Mo. Despite a recent heat wave, crews continue to clean up nearly two months after an EF-5 tornado destroyed much of Joplin. AP / Charlie Riedel
A giant oscillating fan blows air on a golf green as golfers play though the course in north Dallas, Tuesday, July 19, 2011. Midwest residents woke Tuesday to the whir of fans and air conditioners, the soundtrack to an unusually intense heat wave enveloping most of middle America and slowly spreading eastward. AP / LM Otero
Haze from high heat and humidity blankets the National Mall, as seen from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, July 19, 2011. The Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial are seen at rear. AP / J. Scott Applewhite
Jazia Pratt, 8, fills a bucket with water from a fire hydrant in the afternoon summer heat Monday, July 18, 2011, in Philadelphia. AP / Matt Rourke
A child cools off in mist at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Neb., Monday, July 18, 2011. A heat wave is smothering the Midwest with a heat index well over 100 in most places. Cooling centers are opening, and farmers are scrambling to prevent more livestock deaths. AP / Nati Harnik
Pedro Rivas stays in the shade as he pours water to cool Julie, his five-year-old chihuahua, in Omaha, Neb., Monday, July 18, 2011. AP / Nati Harnik
AmeriCorps volunteers hand out cups of ice during a Food on the Move mobile lunch program for low income children Monday, July 18, 2011, in Dallas. AP / LM Otero
From left, Jackeline Salazar, 10, runs in front of her trailer home while her siblings Horacio, 7, Cynthia, 11, Janeth, 1 and her mother Norma Salazar, 39, stand at the door of their house in a colonia in Horizon City, Texas on Monday, July 18, 2011. Residents of poorest areas, known as colonias, of El Paso county have to endure triple digit temperatures, sometimes without air conditioning and running water. AP / Juan Carlson Llorca
AmeriCorps volunteer Bre Martin, right, reacts to Patricia Pacheco playfully placing ice in Martin's shirt during a Food on the Move mobile feeding program for low income children Monday, July 18, 2011, in Dallas. With much of the nation in the grip of a broiling heat wave, few people are hit as hard as the poor. AP / LM Otero
An unidentified member of The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps of Allentown, Pa., drinks water before a contest in Olathe, Kan., Monday, July 18, 2011 AP / Orlin Wagner
Baseball fans stand in the mist of fountains during 100-degree weather at Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox Monday, July 18, 2011 in Kansas City, Mo. AP / Charlie Riedel
Malee, a three-month old Asian elephant, cools off with a spray of water in her wading pool at the Oklahoma City Zoo in Oklahoma City, Monday, July 18, 2011. AP / Sue Ogrocki
Mark Hacker tries to rehydrate after playing basketball with friends at Andrews Park in Norman, Okla. on July 16, 2011. The Norman Transcript / Kyle Phillips
Tiffany Carrels, of Lake City, Minn. wipes the sweat from her face with a towel as she sells sweet corn at the side of the road in Northfield, Minn., Monday afternoon, July 18, 2011, during the sweltering heat. Minneapolis-St. Paul soared to 98 degrees with a heat index of 112 at 4 p.m. Monday. The Star Tribune / Renee Jones Schneider
Swimmers cool off at the Highland Park Aquatic Center on Monday July 18, 2011, St Paul, Minn. The Star Tribune / Richard Sennott
John Kramer, left, wipes away perspiration while working on the construction site with Jeremy Baron, right, for a new Jimmy John's Monday, July 18, 2011 on 7th & Chesnut in St. Paul, Minn. The Star Tribune / Leah Millis
Hoping to get some relief from the heat, patrons line up early outside St. John's Bread Line waiting for the doors open Monday July 18, 2011, in Springfield, Ill. There are heat advisories and warnings in 17 states, from Texas to Michigan, and the sweltering conditions aren't expected to let up anytime soon. AP / Seth Perlman
Walter Gatewood, 87, sits on his front porch trying to beat the heat in Flint, Mich., Monday, July 18, 2011. AP / Paul Sancya
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitcher Matt Miller tries to stay cool as he charts the baseball game for the team against the South Bend Silver Hawks on Monday, July 18, 2011, at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wis. The Post-Crescent / Dan Powers
Chicago Cubs fan Ross Perry of Waukesha, Wis., cools off during 95-degree heat under the mist maker in the right field bleachers before Chicago Cubs played the Florida Marlins in a baseball game Sunday July 17, 2011, in Chicago. AP / Charles Cherney
Rylea Williams, 15 months, plays with a garden hose Wednesday, July, 13, 2011, in Salina, Kan. Salina Journal / Tom Dorsey
Round bales of hay lie in a field shrouded in fog as the sun rises Tuesday, July 12, 2011, near Glencoe, Ky. High heat and humidity continue to cover much of Kentucky. AP / Ed Reinke
J.B. Bullard of Southern Steel & Construction installs steel decking on a new police station in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, July 12, 2011, as temperatures in the area surpassed 100 degrees. AP / Lance Murphey
Paige Wickard sprays down her animal during the afternoon heat at the Hancock County 4-H Fair in Greenfield, Ind., Tuesday, July 12, 2011. AP / Darron Cummings
Madison Lopes, 5, cools off under a fountain at Peabody Park in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, July 12, 2011. Temperatures in the area surpassed 100 degrees. AP / Lance Murphey
Nick Potere of Murfreesboro, Tenn., cools off at the dam near the Manson Pike Trailhead on July 12,, 2011. Daily News Journal / John A. Gillis
Mike Cox of Sherman, Ill., positions a large fan and specially designed water hoses to cool his Standardbred trotting filly name Master Charge It, Monday July 11, 2011, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill. AP / Seth Perlman
An unidentified bicycle rider pedals west along US 40 near Lawrence, Kan., Monday, July 11, 2011. AP / Orlin Wagner
A pedestrian walks past a time and temperature sign in Lawrence, Kan., Monday, July 11, 2011. AP / Orlin Wagner
From left, A. Chavez, 7, Sarah McCain, 8, and B. Chavez, 5, play in the fountain in the Burnett Western Heritage Plaza in front of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Monday July 11, 2011. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram / Richard W. Rodriguez
Wils Hawn of Waterloo, Ill., wipes sweat off of his face while competing in an Illinois State Amateur Championship qualifier on Monday, July 11, 2011, at the Franklin County Country Club in West Frankfort, Ill. Golfers were competing during hot and humid weather. The Southern Illinoisan / Paul Newton
Edgar Rivera sprays water on his son Ja'den while cooling off along with his daughter Tyana, on lap, and Edgar Jr., not seen, on Monday, July 11, 2011, at Attucks Splash Park in Carbondale, Ill. The Southern Illinoisan / Alan Rogers
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