HOUSTON -- A summer heat wave continued Tuesday to bake the Bayou City, forcing many to take precautions to keep cool.

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So far, the death toll from heat-related illnesses has reached nine in the Houston area.

Many residents said that they are staying indoors in air-conditioned buildings and homes, but that if they stray outside, they quickly look for a shady place.

"It's really bad because you're hot before you know it," Houston resident Mary Smith said. "The sweat's pouring off you, and you're soaking wet."

Smith said that she tries to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated.

Pools are also popular spots to cool off. The Fort Bend YMCA pool was filled with children Tuesday.

"(Swimming is my favorite part) because I'm hot. I get all sweaty every day," said a 6-year-old swimmer.

Summer camp counselors keep a close eye on the children since the young and the elderly are most susceptible to heat stroke.

"The younger you are, the more at risk you are for heat stroke and so it's really important that they're drinking plenty of water," said Lauren Turley, YMCA camp counselor.

Turley said that they make sure the children also spend a lot of time indoors in the air conditioning.

Heat Index Tops 100

The heat will stick around for the rest of the week, according to News2Houston.

"That sun is there and we will continue to see bright, sunny skies all the way through the weekend with just a couple of exceptions," News2Houston Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley said. "Hopefully we'll get a little rain on Thursday, but not a lot."

The "feels-like" temperature is more important than the actual temperature since it shows how hot it feels when you factor in the humidity, according to Billingsley.

At 4 p.m., the "feels-like" temperature reached 111 degrees at KPRC studios in southwest Houston, 116 degrees at Navasota Middle School, 111 at Columbus, and 114 at Anahuac.

In Galveston, at Moody Gardens, the "feels-like" temperature reached 98 degrees.

"High pressure is in place. And that means a lot of sun, not much rain to cool us off, very light winds with ozone watches continuing tomorrow," Billingsley said.

The AccuWeather 7-day forecast showed a high of 98 for Wednesday, with a low of 77 degrees.

On Thursday and Friday, the high will reach 97 degrees.

For the weekend, a high of 98 with a low in the mid-70s is predicted for Saturday and Sunday.

"There's a 30 percent chance of rain for Thursday. Keep your fingers crossed," Billingsley said.

Ozone Watch

The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission issued an Ozone Watch Tuesday for the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria area.

TRNRCC officials said that atmospheric conditions are expected to be favorable for producing high levels of ozone air pollution in the area.

Elevated concentrations of ozone can act as a lung irritant.

Individuals with chronic lung disease, such as asthma and emphysema, as well as the elderly and young children, are particularly sensitive to ozone and should attempt to avoid exposure.

To avoid exposure, minimize exertion outdoors during the midday to early evening hours or stay indoors in an air-conditioned room during this time.

More Ozone Information:

• Air Quality Index (AQI) Report
• Air Quality Warnings Status
• Map of Current Ozone Levels
• Current Hourly Ozone Date By Site
• Ozone Animations
• Ozone Forecast Information
• Monitoring Site Locations
• Ozone health information

Send comments or suggestions by e-mail to: cleanairaction@hgac.cog.tx.us

Additional Ozone Information:

• Harris County Pollution Control (713) 920-2831
• Houston Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Air Quality Control (713) 640-4200
• Galveston County Health Department (409) 938-2251
• TNRCC, Houston Office (713) 767-3700