103: New high temperature for Aug. 23 set in Marshall

Tuesday’s heat index reached 111; energy alert issued on Thursday

MARSHALL -- It wasn't your typical August heat.

As the thermometer climbed to 103 degrees on Wednesday, Marshall set a new record high temperature for the date of Aug. 23.

Marshall's previous record high for Aug. 23, set in 1971, was 101 degrees, said National Weather Service meteorologist Amanda Penning. While Tuesday's high of 93 degrees didn't set any heat records, it was still a bad time to be outside. Penning said the heat index in Marshall was 111 degrees on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

The new record high was reached while most of southwest Minnesota was in an excessive heat warning that lasted through Wednesday. This week, area residents sought out different ways to stay cool, whether that meant taking a dip at the Marshall Aquatic Center or staying indoors at the YMCA or the Marshall-Lyon County Library.

Earlier this week, the Aquatic Center announced it was extending its operations through Thursday, in response to the heat. Marshall Parks and Recreation Superintendent Preston Stensrud said pool staff were anticipating large crowds.

The Marshall Area YMCA also responded to the heat warning by opening the facility to Southwest Minnesota State University students on Tuesday and Wednesday. YMCA Executive Director Tom Bolin said the Y wanted to offer students a place to get away from the heat, especially if they didn't have air conditioning.

"We had a great turnout of students," Bolin said. He said helping to meet community needs was part of the YMCA's mission. In the past, the facility has also been open as a shelter during severe winter weather.

In general, the Y has seen some busy times this summer due to the heat, Bolin said.

"On hotter days, people who run outside might come to the YMCA for the air conditioning," he said. The Y's indoor pool has also been busier on hot days, he said.

The Marshall-Lyon County Library has also seen an increase in visitors this month, said library director Michele Leininger.

"Traditionally, August is an extremely slow month," she said. Normally, late August would be a time when summer programs for children have ended and families are headed back to school. However, she said, "We have not seen any slowdown at all this August."

In particular, there have been a lot of library patrons visiting the children's department. More than 60 kids were at the children's library on Tuesday, Leininger said. The heat could have been part of the reason so many families came to the library this week.

"It was too hot to be in the park," she said.

MMU warns of energy alert Thursday

While the worst of the heat had passed by Thursday, Marshall residents faced a different challenge -- a regional energy alert issued by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). MISO operates the energy market for an area of the country that includes Minnesota and much of the Midwest.

In response to the alert, Marshall Municipal Utilities put out the word for local customers to conserve electricity through Thursday night to ease demand on the power grid.

"It is pretty serious," MMU General Manager David Schelkoph said of the energy alert.

The alert was issued because MISO had a couple of generators in its system go down unexpectedly, Schelkoph said. If demand on the regional power grid was too much, the next step up from the alert could involve localized blackouts in Marshall.

MMU customers were urged to turn up their thermostats, and delay the use of large appliances like ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers until later in the evening Thursday.

Schelkoph said a lack of wind on Thursday added to the difficulties for the grid, because it meant wind turbines weren't generating as much power. He said the U.S. needs a more reliable system of power generation, including a variety of power sources, and the ability to store power.

Later Thursday, MMU said that the regional grid conditions in the area have stabilized and is no longer requesting customers to reduce their electric load.

Some relief from extreme heat is in store in the days ahead, according to the NWS forecast. Daytime high temperatures in Marshall will be back into the 80s over the weekend, and Monday's high temperature is forecast at 77 degrees, the NWS said.