OXFORD, Miss. — As the first official week of summer dawned over Mississippi, the air felt less like a seasonal embrace and more like a fever.
At midday in Jackson, the temperature hovered above 90°F, but the humidity made it feel close to 110°F, a dangerous threshold that has prompted a series of heat alerts and advisories across the state.
For many Mississippians, the oppressive heat is more than an inconvenience; it’s a matter of public health.
The National Weather Service has issued consecutive heat advisories, warning that the combination of high temperatures and humidity will create heat index values between 105 and 110°F statewide…