Updated

The heat-stroke death of Minnesota Vikings tackle Korey Stringer Wednesday morning focused the national spotlight on what people throughout the Midwest already knew:

A heat wave has been scorching the region, and it shows little sign of letting up.

Fifteen people have died in Chicago alone this summer, most recently a woman found dead in her home on Sunday.

Temperatures in the region headed into the 90s again Wednesday, with the heat index across Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Iowa pushing over 110 degrees in some areas. Heat advisories and excessive heat warnings were posted by the National Weather Service.

In Austin, Texas, the mercury peaked Tuesday at 100 degrees, the 20th day in a row of three-digit remperatures. That broke a July 1925 record of 19 straight days of 100-degree heat or more.

In Shenandoah, Iowa, the heat index hit 121. Chicago had its second hottest day of the year at 95 degrees, and the Not-So-Windy City was expecting to match that number on Tuesday.

Wednesday's forecasts called for 101 degrees in Wichita, Kan., 100 in Kansas City, Mo., 100 in Oklahomas City, 99 in Dallas, 98 in St. Louis, 92 in Detroit, and 90 in Des Moines, Iowa. In each of those cities, the heat index was expected to reach about 110 degrees.

Commonwealth Edison, which serves northern Illinois, said it was prepared to set another record for electricity demand in its service area Wednesday, but the utility said it expected to meet that demand.

Illinois Power also said it had enough electricity to meet Wednesday's demands.

The National Weather Service says it might turn a bit cooler Thursday, but the heat wave could persist into next week.