(June 28, 2009)—A heat advisory remains in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday for Hill, Navarro, Freestone, Coryell, Bell, McLennan, Falls, Limestone, Leon, Milam and Robertson Counties.

Afternoon heat index values of 105 degrees or higher are expected south of a line from Gatesville to Hillsboro to Corsicana as the region continues to bake under a high-pressure bubble, but a weak cold front could break the string of 100-degree days.

If the cold front manages to push far enough south by Sunday night, some clouds may move in, and if they do there’s a slight chance of showers overnight.

A chance of showers remains in the forecast through Tuesday and forecasters say afternoon high temperatures should be in the 90s, providing at least a psychological respite.

But whatever relief the front produces will be short -lived.

By midweek temperatures will creep back toward 100 degrees.

Already this summer, heat is suspected in several deaths in the state.

The scorching temperatures are siphoning lakes and wreaking havoc on ranches across Texas as the state grapples with a prolonged drought,

Bob Rose, a meteorologist with the Lower Colorado River Authority in Austin, said he's getting calls from worried ranchers and farmers who have no moisture in their hard soil.

Rose said the water levels at Lake Travis near Austin are dropping by two feet a week.

Closer to home, residents of the area of Temple west of Highway 317 remain under a stage-5 water conservation order after a pump station failure that reduced the capacity to keep the elevated tanks that serve that portion of the city filled.

City Manager David Blackburn said a valve failed at around 2 a.m. at the pump station.

As a result, the tanks that serve the western portions of the city were not refilled as water was used.

The order bars any outside water use including yard watering and car washing.

About 2,200 homes are affected, the city said.

Residents who ignore the restrictions could be cited, Blackburn said.

The order will remain in effect at least until Monday in order to allow the tanks to refill.

In Mart, a pump failure led officials to issue a water-conservation alert Saturday.

Mart’s water well pump stopped working early Saturday morning.

Residents are urged to conserve as much water as possible.

In Bartlett, a boil order that was issued Friday after a water main break that left the entire community without water for a short period of time, has been lifted.

The heat poses a health threat, particularly to the very young, the elderly and the chronically ill, and area paramedics have responded to a number of heat-related calls in the last several days.

Health officials advise residents to try to stay in air-conditioned areas.

Those whose homes aren’t air-conditioned may want to spend the hottest part of the day in such public places as malls, recreation centers or libraries.

Experts say those without air conditioning should close window shades and use cross-ventilation and fans to cool rooms, however they say electric fans won’t prevent heat-related illnesses once the temperature reaches 90 degrees.

Officials are also urging Central Texas residents to check regularly on neighbors who are ill or elderly.

Caritas of Waco has launched its annual fan drive to provide fans to low-income families who don’t have air conditioning.

The help-organization is collecting new or used fans as well as cash donations with which new fans will be purchased.

"Caritas clients will be benefitted by the donation, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped someone deal with an uncomfortable, sometimes dangerous, situation in a very real way," said Buddy Edwards, the agency’s executive director.

Fans may be dropped off at Caritas at 300 S. 15th St. in Waco.

For information, call Caritas at (254) 753-4593.