As the Houston area works to clean up and restore power to hundreds of thousands after deadly storms left at least seven people dead, it will do so amid a smog warning and scorching temperatures that could pose health risks.National Weather Service meteorologist Marc Chenard said on Saturday that highs of around 32.2 C were expected through the start of the coming week, with heat indexes likely approaching 38 C by midweek, Associated Press reported.&We expect the impact of the heat to gradually increase … we will start to see that heat risk increase Tuesday into Wednesday through Friday,& Chenard said.The heat index is what the temperature feels like to the human body when humidity is combined with the air temperature, according to the weather service.Heavy rainfall was possible in eastern Louisiana and central Alabama on Saturday, and parts of Louisiana were also at risk for flooding.The Houston Health Department said it would distribute 400 free portable air conditioners to area seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers of disabled children to contend with the heat.The widespread destruction of Thursday'sstorms brought much of Houston to a standstill, AP reported.Thunderstorms and hurricane-force winds tore through the city — decimating the facade of one brick building and leaving trees, debris and shattered glass on the streets.
A tornado also touched down near the northwest Houston suburb of Cypress.More than a half-million homes and businesses in Texas remained without electricity by midday Saturday, according to PowerOutage.us.Another 21,000 customers were also without power in Louisiana, where strong winds and a suspected tornado hit.CenterPoint Energy said power restoration could take several days or longer in some areas.Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Whitmire both signed disaster declarations, paving the way for state and federal storm recovery assistance.A separate disaster declaration from President Joe Biden makes federal funding available to people in seven Texas counties — including Harris — that have been affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding since April 26.The post Hot weather poses new risk after deadly Houston storms first appeared on Ariana News.