TUESDAY'S WEATHER OFFERS WELCOME RESPITE FROM HEAT

After a week of highs near the century mark and heat indexes well above, Tuesday's temperature in the low-90s and low humidity offered a welcome break from the heat.

"We deserve one," said Roy Eckberg meteorologist with National Weather Service. "This was a nice first sign of fall coming."

The high Tuesday was 92.

"We had a nice high pressure ridge that brought in much drier and somewhat cooler weather," Eckberg said.

But, he warned, summer isn't over.

The weather system that cooled things off Tuesday was moving quickly to the east. "Don't expect it to last," Eckberg said.

Today's weather is predicted to be warmer and more humid than Tuesday's, and by Thursday, highs are expected to climb back into the 90s. The high humidity also will return.

The heat should last through Saturday, with little if any rain in the forecast.

Because of the hot forecast and lack of air conditioning, Notre Dame High School this week will dismiss at 12:15 p.m.

Sister Mary Ann Fischer said the two-story building holds a lot of heat, and even with ceiling fans, it is too uncomfortable for afternoon classes.

"We are hoping that we will be able to run a regular schedule next week," she said. "We're going to make a decision at the end of the week."

Fischer saw a positive side to the shortened school days.

"It allows us to ease into a rigorous school year," she said. "The heat can really wear down the staff and the students."

Most students at Jackson will greet a new school year today in air conditioning.

All the district's buildings, except one at the senior high, are air-conditioned. Over the past few years, the district has air-conditioned buildings one by one, using mostly window units and some central air.

Superintendent Howard Jones said if the building without air conditioning is too hot, students can be moved to other areas.

"We think we're pretty well covered, and we probably won't have to make any special allowances for the heat," he said.