Latest local news, weather and high school sports for Tri-State area

The Excessive Heat Warning for the Tri-States has been extended until Sunday.

If you have information about cooling centers to share please post them below or on our Facebook page by clicking here ... we will then share them with the public in this story below.

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The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for the Tri-States starting Sunday afternoon. That will go throughout the week until Friday.

If you're looking for places to cool down, there are several pools in the Tri-States offering reduced rates ... and many cooling centers have been opened.  (See below the story for more details.)

A Western Illinois University professor says this week will be the biggest heat wave our area has seen in more than a decade.

This has many people asking, what is going on with the weather?

KHQA's Jim Robesky went in search of that answer.

WIU Meteorology Professor Tom Williams said, "Well this is some crazy weather were having isn't it. Absolutely! We're going into this major heat wave and people are going, wow, when was the last time we had a heat wave of this magnitude and this duration. The answer is probably 1995."

Dr. Tom Williams said the area hasn't seen this kind of weather in a very long time.  He said, "It's been a year of extremes without a doubt. That's all we are classifying it in meteorology, a year of extremes."

In the past year, the Tri-States has experienced flooding, blizzards and extreme heat. But what's causing all of this?

Williams said it's a little bit more than just El-Nino or global warming.  He said, "Those are global interconnected weather patterns where there are abnormally cold or warm temperatures that translates into colder conditions or warmer conditions for us."

Professor Williams said humans, volcanoes and wildfires can all impact the weather. But he said the radical differences in weather are much more difficult to determine.

"We can explain why thunderstorms keep happening in certain locations," he said. "We can explain that. Why the weather is so crazy? Yeah, that's a little bit different cup of tea."

Professor Williams said our weather is always variable and is constantly changing, but as to why our weather is so crazy.

Williams answered, "I don't have a definitive answer to that question."

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning will begin Sunday afternoon and end Friday night.

QUINCY:

The Quincy Park District is offering a reduced rate to enter both aquatic facilities due to the excessive heat warning.  Wavering Aquatic Center and Indian Mounds Pool will be charging an admission of $1.00 starting on Sunday, July 17 and each day the excessive heat warning is in place.  If the warning is cancelled the rates will go back to normal rates.  “Come Out And Play” and enjoy a reduced Admission at Indian Mounds Pool and Wavering Aquatic Center.  For more details visit www.quincyparkdistrict.com.

Hours of Operation
Indian Mounds Pool Hours
11:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Saturday - Sunday
Wavering Aquatic Center Hours
1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Saturday - Sunday

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The Quincy Kennel Club and Quincy K-9 Connection have joined together to offer area pets a place to come and keep cool.  Animals suffer from heat stroke just as people do.  The organizations have set up an area at the kennel club's training facility.  You're asked to contact Anne for more information at 217-257-1322.

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The Quincy Park District is moving the location of the outdoor concert scheduled for Thursday, July 21 at Madison Park.  The concert will be held at the Oakley Lindsay Center on Thursday, July 21 at 7:00pm.  Please remember to bring your lawn chairs for seating as no chairs will be available.  The Decatur Park Singers will be performing.

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The Quincy Senior Center is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week and is acting as a cooling center.  Seniors can eat lunch and dinners there for a small donation.

CANTON:

Because of the excessive heat, Canton’s Sun N Surf pool will be open to the public from 1 - 8 p.m. this Monday through Saturday.  The admission price for non-members is $2.  Children age 9 and under must be accompanied by a person age 15 or older.  All swimmers are expected to follow pool rules and instructions from the life guards.

The following sites are Cooling Centers in Canton, Missouri:
Carl Johann Memorial Library at Culver Stockton College is open 8-5 M-F.
The Canton Public Library is available from 10-6 M-F and Sat. 10-2
The Senior Citizen Center at 600 Montgomery is available every day
Life Tabernacle on 31460 Hwy 16 is available on Sundays.

Residents are also asked to check on their older or infirmed neighbors and to be sure that all outside pets are properly supplied with shade and water.

WARSAW:

The City of Warsaw has announced that the Bott Community Center located at 705 Lafayette Street will be a cooling center during the extreme heat for anyone in need of using it.  The Bott Community Center is open until 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  For more information contact Warsaw City Hall at 217-256-3214.

LABELLE:

Western Lewis Co. Fire Protection District Station on State Street in LaBelle, Missouri will be a cooling center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until the heat warning is over.

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Bott Community Center located at 705 Lafayette Street will be a cooling center during the extreme heat for anyone in need.  It will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.  For more information contact Warsaw City Call at 217-256-3214.

NAUVOO:

Carol McGhghy, the Nauvoo City Clerk, let KHQA know that Nauvoo City Hall and Community of Christ Church are designated cooling centers.  City Hall will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Community of Christ Church will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Please call 217-453-2587 for more information.

KEOKUK:

Due to the excessive heat we have been experiencing this week, the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of South Lee County committee has decided to move the Relay to Rand Park where there is more shade.  The survivors' picnic has also been moved to the Keokuk Middle School.  The schedule of events will not be affected by the location changes. Contact Kierstan Peck for more information at 319-653-3768.

RUSHVILLE:

The city of Rushville has opened a cooling center at City Hall.  It is open from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the back of the building.

LEWISTOWN:

The Western Lewis County Fire Protection District will have a cooling center at the Lewistown Fire Station from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. till the heat warning is over.

LAPLATA:

There is a cooling center at 100 Old Stagecoach Rd.

UNIONVILLE:

There is a cooling center at 116 S. 17th Street.