Heat's toll 1 dead, rolling blackouts; temps ease Friday

Heat's toll 1 dead, rolling blackouts; temps ease Friday

 Detroit Edison turned to rolling blackouts and CMS Energy asked customers to cut power usage as temperatures hit as high as 102 in Metro Detroit today, part of a heat wave that has left one dead and 30,000 without power.

It was the first time since July 14, 1995, that Metro Detroit recorded an official high in triple digits.

The oppressive heat is expected to abate somewhat Friday, with dry air moving in and temperatures topping out at about 90 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Most power is expected to be restored by 11:30 p.m. Friday. Significant swaths of Metro Detroit remained without electricity this evening, including:

- 4,300 customers in Redford Township who could have power restored by late tonight.

- 3,700 near where Oakland, Shelby and Washington townships converge.

- 3,700 in Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge.

- 3,000 north of M-59 between Hayes and Romeo Plank.

- 2,200 on either side of Maple northwest of Walled Lake.

- 2,100 in Warren north of Interstate 696 and west of Mound.

Scattered outages remain throughout the Metro Detroit area.

Detroit Metro Airport hit a record 100 degrees at 2:41 p.m., but the heat index made it feel like 112 degrees outside, National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Tilley said. The previous July 21 high was 97, set in 1926.