WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. - As the sun baked Delmarva Wednesday afternoon, temperatures reached the low 90s in Salisbury, and with the humidity it reached almost 100°F.
And the forecast is only calling for hotter conditions through the upcoming weekend.
Webster Dorsey, who owns a farm in Sharptown, Md., says the heat in recent years seems more dangerous than in years past.
"Being my age, I would say it was hot growing up, but this is totally different," Dorsey said. "I just think the humidity and the amount of heat that we're getting it totally different today that it was years ago."
Dorsey has already changed work plans for the next few days.
"The projects we're doing down on the farm, we're doing the ones that we can do inside on some of the properties we have," Dorsey said.
The hottest of the weather hadn't even arrived by Wednesday afternoon, and Timothy Jones of the Delmar Fire Department said they were already responding to calls for heat-related illnesses.
"A lot of them are people outside in the heat, either not hydrating soon enough, hydrating too late, not hydrating at all, spending excessive time outside in the sun and the heat," Jones said.
Jones continued that the signs of heat stroke can be misleading and trick folks into thinking their friends are loved ones are okay, when they are actually in a serious state..
"If you're outside and you're hot and you're sweating, that's a good sign, if you stop sweating and you're hot, that's bad. That's really bad."
Cooling centers are opening Thursday in places such as the Wicomico County Civic Center and at the MAC Center where folks without access to air conditioning are welcome to cool off.
LEARN MORE: List of Cooling Centers on Delmarva.
And our friends and families are not the only ones who need to be looked after in the heat.
"Don't forget about your pets," said Mike Hedlesky, of the MAC Center. "They want to be cool, just like we all do when it gets super out outside. So call any cooling centers you're considering going to."
Not all cooling centers are able to welcome pets. Before going to a cooling center, call ahead to find out if your preferred cooling center welcomes pets.