Texas County is in the pressure cooker this week as the National Weather Service predicts heat index values of greater than 105 degrees are possible through Friday.
With little rain, the area also is in need of precipitation.
The National Weather Service put the country under an excessive heat warning until 7 p.m. Friday. Overnight low temperatures are expected to only fall to the mid-70s.
The agency said excess heat warning means that a prolonged period of dangerously hot temperatures will occur. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a dangerous situation in which heat illnesses are likely.
It is recommended that residents drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of sun and check on relatives and neighbors.
Elderly who want to escape the heat are encouraged to visit a senior center in the area. Air conditioners distributed by Ozark Action Inc. – for those 65 or older – are depleted. That program begins on June 1 annually.