DES MOINES, Iowa — Extreme heat follows a pattern of unsettled weather across Iowa, which will cause it to feel like the triple digits this weekend.

Heat alerts have been issued across central Iowa. As of Thursday afternoon, an Extreme Heat Warning is in effect until 9PM Sunday for western Iowa where temperatures are expected to be the highest. A Heat Advisory is in place for central Iowa until 8PM Friday. An Extreme Heat Watch is in place for central and eastern Iowa that goes into effect Saturday and lasts until 9PM Sunday.

The exact technicalities of what kind of alert you may be under are less important than the overall message: extreme heat is on the way and you should have a plan to stay cool.

Heat and humidity build in Friday with the hottest conditions arriving by the weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, temperatures will soar to the mid to upper 90s with heat indices near 110°. Some slight relief arrives next week but highs will still be in the 90s for at least half of the week.

After a few morning storms on Friday, temperatures will quickly heat up. Temperatures will reach the mid 90s by the afternoon and it will feel like the triple digits as the humidity increases. Temperatures stay pretty warm overnight and then we’ll likely be at our hottest on Saturday. Some parts of western Iowa could hit 100° and heat indices will likely reach 105-110° in most locations across the state.

While some storms are possible early Friday, the weekend looks hot and dry. Most of Monday will be dry as well until storms arrive Monday evening. The next several days will bring more chances for showers and storms but they will be quite scattered. It won’t rain every second of every day next week.

We’ll keep you posted on the extreme heat as we get into the weekend!