Event narrative (NOAA)
A two-day stretch of dangerous heat and humidity occurred across the Midwest as high temperatures climbed into the 90s while dewpoints were in the upper 70s or low 80s. In Peoria County, Peoria International Airport recorded high temperatures of 98 degrees on both July 27 and July 28, a maximum dewpoint of 82 degrees on July 27, and a maximum heat index of 110 degrees on July 27. A 53 year old woman in Peoria was found deceased in her apartment on July 27. She had pre-existing health conditions and the electricity had been shut off since July 7, so there was no air conditioning present.
Other notable excessive heat events in Illinois
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.