After a seasonably mild weekend, blistering summer temperatures are expected to hit Connecticut this week.
The National Weather Service says hot and humid weather will return to the region Wednesday and peak into Thursday and Friday.
The heat index in parts of Connecticut may exceed 100 degrees on both of those days.
The heat index is a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature, according to the NWS.
Gov. Ned Lamont has activated Connecticut’s extreme hot weather protocol. The protocol, which allows for information sharing around cooling centers and other heat-relief resources, will remain in effect through early Sunday.
"Anyone in need of a place to get out of the heat can locate their nearest cooling center by calling 2-1-1 or viewing the list online at 211ct.org," the Lamont administration said in a statement.
Some thunderstorms are possible Thursday.
The heat comes as nearly every major climate-tracking organization proclaimed June the hottest June ever. Scientists say climate change is combining with El Nino in the Pacific to ramp up the number of records set.
In the past 30 days, nearly 5,000 heat and rainfall records have been broken or tied in the U.S. and more than 10,000 records set globally, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In Connecticut, heavy rainfalls have led to flooded basements and ruined crops – causing millions of dollars in damage within a matter of days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
