INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Part of Indiana had a slower start to heating up on Wednesday due to cloud cover.

That all changed by the afternoon hours as everyone became engulfed in steamy conditions that launched heat indices into a range of 105-115.

Thursday will be unbelievably hot before we track a gradual change toward rewarding relief from the heat and humidity.

Excessive heat warnings now cover all of the state, and they will be in effect until midnight Thursday Eastern time for central and northern Indiana. Southern Indiana will stay under heat warnings until Friday night.

• Tips to save air conditioners and bank accounts from suffering in high heat
• Is central Indiana in a heat wave? It depends on definition used
• Staying informed about heat-related illnesses during extreme heat
• Indianapolis EMS responding to an influx of heat-related calls

Wednesday night: A potentially record warm night is ahead under mostly clear skies. Lows will only fall into the mid 70s. Indy’s record warm low for the night of Aug. 23 is 77 from 1936, and there is a very good chance that record gets tied or beat.

Thursday: It’ll be Indiana’s hottest day of the year. It will feel flat out horrendous when factoring in atrocious dew point values of the mid to upper 70s. Highs look to soar into the mid to upper 90s. Heat index values are going to be very dangerous with numbers in the 105-115 range.

There is also a very low shot for strong to severe storms in mainly northern Indiana, and that activity will be very spotty. Wind and hail will be the main threats.

Friday: We’ll wake up to another morning of near record warm lows for Friday. Then, another 90 degree day will be ahead with high humidity. Now, this is when we’ll notice our first signs of change in this forecast. There will be a disturbance that moves in with winds shifting to come out of the north. This will lead way to the chance for isolated showers and storms in the afternoon and nighttime hours. Severe weather is not expected for central Indiana on Friday at this time.

8-Day Forecast: Friday’s small changes will lead way to a much bigger and better forecast transition for the final weekend of August. Saturday will still be warm and humid, but it won’t feel as oppressive with highs in the low to mid 80s. Sunday is when we really work in on pleasant conditions as highs may not even get out of the 70s. The comfortable weather trend will persist into the first half of next week.