Photo by Holly Netzley In the photo, young and old took advantage of the Marshall Aquatic Center on Tuesday afternoon.

MARSHALL — A lot of people have been seeking to beat the heat lately in Marshall — and it showed in attendance at the Marshall Aquatic Center over the past few days.

A total of 541 swimmers visited the Aquatic Center on Sunday, and another 381 swimmers visited Monday, said Cam Bailey, recreation coordinator at Marshall Community Services.

“Those are big numbers,” he said. Bailey estimated the Marshall Aquatic Center sees an average of around 250 swimmers a day during the season. “The pool, any time you see 90s for a stretch of time, it’s really the place to be.”

Staying cool will take on some extra importance for everyone this week, as southwest Minnesota enters a stretch of very hot days. The NWS forecasts temperatures in the 90s Wednesday through Friday in Marshall, with a daytime high temperature of 95 degrees on Thursday. When humidity is factored in, conditions will feel even hotter to area residents, said Tim Masters, technician at the National Weather Service office in Sioux Falls.

Area residents should take steps to avoid the heat and stay hydrated, Masters said.

Marshall has already had some recorded temperatures in the 90s this month, including a 95-degree day on July 11, Masters said. However, this week there is the potential for a heat advisory to be issued, he said.

The heat index, which looks at a combination of the air temperature and relative humidity, is forecast at 96 for Wednesday. The heat index could get closer to 100 later this week, Masters said.

Masters said there are a couple of important precautions people should take during the heat wave.

“The first one is, be sure you stay hydrated,” he said. Another precaution is not to do outdoor work during the hottest part of the day. Masters recommended people avoided being active outside between about 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

In times of extreme heat, it’s also important to watch out for vulnerable people, like elders and children, Masters said.

Bailey said Marshall Community Services is getting near the end of summer activities, including swimming lessons and soccer and tennis programs. With the high temperatures, instructors know it’s important to take more water breaks, and not have kids in the sun for too long, he said.

“We know typically this is the hottest stretch of the summer,” Bailey said.

The forecast for this weekend shows conditions cooling off a little. However, Masters said, temperatures will still be in the mid- to upper 80s.