Take precaution. Today and Thursday are expected to be hot -- and they'll feel even hotter.

The National Weather Service predicts today's high temperature at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to be about 97 degrees and Thursday's high to be about 98. But because the high temperatures will be paired with humidity, it will feel like it's 100 to 105 degrees today and about 105 degrees Thursday in the D.C. area. Overnight, it will feel like more than 80 degrees in the suburbs and close to 90 degrees in urban areas.

The Weather Service issued a heat advisory for the D.C. area in effect from noon today until 10 p.m. Thursday. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity could make it possible for people to suffer from heat-related illnesses, forecasters said.

District officials activated a hyperthermia alert at 10 a.m. today and said that air quality will be a Code Orange, meaning the elderly and people with respiratory issues should stay inside.

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People are encouraged to drink a lot of water, stay in air-conditioned areas, stay out of the sun, watch for symptoms of heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and check on neighbors and relatives, according to forecasters and officials.

A little relief from the hottest temperatures this season will likely come at the end of the week. Thursday night, forecasters said, there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Friday's high is expected to be about 94 with showers and thunderstorms likely, especially between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Forecasters expect Saturday's and Sunday's high temperatures in the D.C. area to be in the mid-to-upper 80s.

njagoda@washingtonexaminer.com