Over the weekend, the Sioux Empire experienced a scorching heat wave. Most of the region experienced a Heat Advisory and other areas were issued an Excessive Heat Watch.

Our news and weather partners at Dakota News Now kept viewers informed about hot temperatures and humidity levels. Not only was South Dakota sweating bullets due to the intense heat, but the wind was also blowing at about 30 miles per hour. Going outside felt like turning on your car air conditioner for the first time. It was like that initial blast of awful hot air blowing in your face that's not yet keeping you cool.

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When you factor in the dew points, temperatures in the Sioux Empire felt like they were in the triple digits. That's just really sweltering!

Obviously, it's summer in the Midwest and experiencing extreme heat is not totally out of the ordinary. However, additional days of sizzling temperatures definitely mean your energy bills and wallet will be breaking a sweat too.

Everyone wants to find ways to stay cool while saving money. Xcel Energy recognizes this need. The utility company even provides helpful tips to assist individuals in keeping their houses cool and bills more manageable during these heatwaves. The next time a heatwave envelopes the Sioux Empire, try these energy-saving tips that could also save you money:

  • Draw your shades or blinds to keep rooms cooler during the day.
  • Keep interior doors open to help air circulate more freely and maintain constant cooling levels.
  • The basement basement is naturally the coolest place in your home. Go down there more often when you're feeling the heat.
  • Clean your air conditioner coils to help improve efficiency as well as help save energy.
  • It's a good idea to run your ceiling fans counter-clockwise in the summer. Why? Apparently, this circulates cooler, conditioned air.

You can click here to discover more tips about how to chill out during a sultry, South Dakota summer.

32 Things to Do in Sioux Falls This Summer That Are Absolutely Free!

Sure, there are tons of things to do in the Sioux Empire every summer, but if your entertainment budget is small (or zero), we have the solution - actually, we have lots of solutions.

Here is a list of family-friendly (and some, just adult-friendly) events happening this summer in the Sioux Falls area that you should check out. Oh, the best part, everything on this list is FREE.

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