Record heat turning into powerful pop-up storms in Michiana

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The record heat, keeping most people indoors in the AC, but a handful flocking to the Howard Park Splash Pad for a cool down.

Splash pads are the new place to be on hot days, with the water feeling so nice, but it can also be a safer place to be.

ABC57's Julianne Grohowski used a heat gun to compare the surface temperatures between the dry hot pavement and the wet pavement.

The dry pavement temperature coming in at 114 degrees, only four degrees away from a surface temperature that can create first degree burns on human skin. 

When testing the wet pavement, it came in at 98 degrees, 16 degrees coolers.

But not even an hour later, the weather took a turn.

Powerful pop-up storms began running through Saint Joseph County, knocking down and uprooting several trees.

Power outages at busy intersections like Ironwood and State Road 23 causing major traffic backups during rush hour, and local businesses losing power and having to close early for the day.