Plumbers in Cottageville, SC

Dangerous Heat, Humidity Broils Eastern Two-Thirds of U.S.

We are just a week away from the “unofficial” end of summer, but Mother Nature has other plans in store for areas east of the Rockies. Dangerous heat and humidity will continue to broil the central and eastern U.S. this week.

A large upper-level ridge of high pressure will build over the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. today and Monday. This will pump plenty of unseasonably hot and humid air into the Plains, Mississippi Valley and Midwest today, which will spread into the eastern U.S. on Monday. Temperatures will be anywhere from 5 to 20 degrees above normal during this time.

Triple-digit heat is forecast across Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas today. Highs in the 90s are expected throughout the rest of the Plains, Mississippi Valley and Midwest. By Monday, temperatures exceeding 100 degrees will be possible from the central and southern Plains into the Midwest, Tennessee Valley and Deep South, with 90s in the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Southeast.

With humidity factored in, it will feel even hotter! Heat indices will exceed 110 degrees for parts of the southern Plains today, with triple digit heat indices possible as far north as the eastern Dakotas and Minnesota. Expect triple digit heat indices for the central and southern Plains, most of the Mississippi Valley and Midwest on Monday. The highest heat indices will be in the center of the Mid-Mississippi Valley and Midwest, which will peak in the 110s.

Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories have been posted across the central U.S. from north-central Texas into the eastern Dakotas and as far east as Wisconsin and the northern half of Illinois. This includes Wichita Falls, Texas, Oklahoma City, Wichita and Topeka, Kan., Kansas City, Mo., Omaha, Neb., Sioux Falls, S.D., Grand Forks, N.D., Minneapolis, Des Moines, Iowa, Madison, Wis., and Bloomington, Ill. An Excessive Heat Watch has also been issued for northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana, which includes Chicago.

Saturday saw new record daily high temperatures established in parts of the Plains. In Amarillo, Texas, the high temperatures reached 105 degrees, breaking the old record of 103 degrees set in 2011. Lubbock, Texas, the high temperature reached 104 degrees, breaking the previous record of 101 degrees which was set in 1936. Borger, Texas, broke their previous record of 106 degrees set in 2011 when the mercury rose to a blistering 107 degrees Saturday afternoon.

While still dangerously hot, most places will fall short of their record highs for today. By Monday though, a few records could be broken. Moline, Iowa, has a forecast high of 98 degrees, which would break the record of 97 degrees set in 2003. Chicago could tie their record high of 97 set in 1973. Eau Claire, Wis., would fall just short of their record of 97 degrees set in 1948 with a forecast high of 95 degrees.

The ridge of high pressure will remain settled over the central and eastern U.S. on Tuesday, before slowly weakening by Wednesday and Thursday. Extreme heat and humidity will remain in the forecast from the central and southern Plains to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast on Tuesday. The main concerns by Wednesday and Thursday will the Ohio Valley, Deep South, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Heat-related illnesses will be more likely to occur if prolonged exposure to this heat takes place. It’s best to limit your exposure to the highest temperatures around midday by keeping outdoor activities limited to the early morning hours or after the sun sets in the evening. It’s imperative to remain hydrated if you must venture out into the heat and take frequent breaks if you are working outdoors.

Remember to check on elderly and anyone else that are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses such as small children and pets. Never leave a child or pet locked inside a vehicle as this could have dangerous or even deadly results. If traveling with family or friends, remember to “Look Before You Lock!”

COLLETON COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - Investigators have made a number of arrests after a body was found in the woods in Cottageville in the same area where a hunter went missing.

The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office says 25-year-old Schuyler Rene Andrulat of Cottageville and 33-year-old Nathan Baughman of Summerville have been charged with obstruction of justice. According to court records, the charges against Andrulat were dismissed and expunged.

A third man, Brad Skipper, has also been charged with an outstanding warrant from Colleton County.

The body was found around 8 p.m. on Thursday in a wooded area off Red Oak Road, the same area where a hunter went missing last Friday

The sheriff's office says the missing hunter was staying with friends who waited until Sunday to report him missing.

The coroner is doing an autopsy to determine the cause of death and identify the body.

The arrests stems from an incident that began on Aug. 21 when a Colleton County deputy responded to a home on Peirce Road in reference to a missing person.

The deputy spoke to Andrulat who said a friend of hers, Orin Patrick, had come to her home to go hunting Friday evening.

According to a report, Andrulat said she dropped Patrick off along the woodline on Peirce Road with a shotgun.

"Andrulat stated that several hours later, she received a call from Patrick stating that he was lost in the woods and he wanted her to drive along the road and beep the horn so that he could find his way back to the road again," the report states.

Andrulat told investigators that she did this around 9 p.m. on Friday but could not find him.

According to authorities, Andrulat said she received another call from Patrick that only last a few seconds and had since been unable to reach him through his phone again. Andrulat told deputies that she did not know any more information about Patrick.

In the incident report, the responding deputy reported that when he first met with Andrulat, she was unable to give any information about Patrick. The deputy then told Andrulat to get in contact with some of Patrick's friends or family so that he could get enough information to do a report.

Authorities also spoke with Patrick's friend, Baughman, who told investigators over the phone that he and Patrick had been staying at a home on Lakeview Drive in Summerville.

Baughman said the last time he saw Patrick was on Aug. 19, but was unsure of the time "because they had both been drinking so he did not remember much about that day."

The incident report states Baughman told investigators that this was not the first time Patrick had just "gone away, but it has never been for this long and never without making contact with him."

Detectives reported that they had Patrick's cell phone pinged to find the last location for it which was in Summerville.

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