If Monday was too hot for you, there's bad news in the forecast - today and Wednesday could be worse.

The National Weather Service has extended a heat advisory that began yesterday until 11 p.m. Wednesday. Yesterday's high in Ann Arbor was 92 degrees, said meteorologist Karen Clark with the National Weather Service in White Lake Township.

The Weather Service forecasts a high today of 91 to 95. Temperatures Wednesday are expected to reach 92 to 96 degrees. The heat index (a combination of temperature and relative humidity) could reach 100 on Wednesday, Clark said.

You might want to take a page from Morgan Klein's playbook today. Klein, 7, cooled off at the Veterans Memorial Park Pool in Ann Arbor Monday.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

The Weather Service warned heat stress could become a factor for those engaging in outdoor activities, especially since today and Wednesday will mark the third and fourth consecutive days of temperatures in the 90s.

The heat has already been blamed for one death in southeast Michigan. A homeless woman was found lying next to a car in a suburban Detroit parking lot Sunday afternoon. The Oakland County medical examiner's office told the Detroit Free Press the woman died of hyperthermia, an abnormally high body temperature.

Clark said this period of hot weather is caused by the position of the jet stream high over the eastern seaboard. That usually creates winds from the southwest that brings warm air up from the South, she said.

Humidity levels have dropped a bit today from Monday, but will be back up around 50 percent Wednesday, she said.

Michigan is not suffering alone. Temperatures in the mid-Atlantic region could reach as high as 102 degrees today, forecasters said.

But relief is on the way. Clark said a mild cold front should drop daytime highs into the 80s by Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control warns the elderly are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses than younger people. Signs of heat exhaustion include the following:

• Heavy sweating
• Paleness
• Muscle cramps
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting
• Skin: may be cool and moist
• Pulse rate: fast and weak
• Breathing: fast and shallow

The CDC recommends the following strategies to avoid heat-related illnesses:

• Drink cool, nonalcoholic beverages.
• Rest.
• Take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath.
• If possible, seek an air-conditioned environment. (If you don't have air conditioning, consider visiting an air-conditioned shopping mall or public library to cool off.)
• Wear lightweight clothing.
• If possible, remain indoors in the heat of the day.
• Do not engage in strenuous activities.

If you think someone has heat stress, the CDC advises the following actions:

• Get the person to a shady area.
• Cool the person rapidly, using whatever methods you can. For example, immerse the person in a tub of cool water; place the person in a cool shower; spray the person with cool water from a garden hose; sponge the person with cool water; or if the humidity is low, wrap the person in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously.
• Monitor body temperature and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101°-102°F.
• If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency room for further instructions.
• Get medical assistance as soon as possible.