Summertime in Mississippi is brutal.  It’s hot — and feels even hotter — and the experts don’t expect it to cool off any time soon.

“Afternoon highs are going to be in the 90s throughout the weekend and early next week,” said Anna Wolzerton, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “Heat indexes will be above 100 degrees.”

Wolzerton said Lincoln County may have some relief from the heat every now and then, but it will undoubtedly stay hot throughout the months of July and August.

“Occasionally, afternoon storms and showers will pop up,” Wolzerton said. “That will help cool it down. The chances for that are generally from 30 to 40 percent.”

Wolzerton urges people to drink a lot of water and stay inside if possible. 

With temperatures soaring, energy experts offers ways to save money on power bills.

“Heating and air conditioning make up more than half of your monthly energy bill,” said Robbin Jeter, Entergy Mississippi vice president of customer service. “Making a few small-energy efficient changes now will help your A/C run less  and keep more cash in your pocket.”

Here are some energy saving tips provided by Entergy:

• Get your A/C inspected. Inspectors can make sure your system is leak-free and operating as efficiently as possible.

• Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree lower than 78 can raise your bill as much as 3 percent.

• Buy a programmable thermostat. If you spend most of your day outside of the house, you can set your thermostat to automatically shut off or raise the A/C setting when you’re away.

• Use fans to cool off. Ceiling fans, box fans and oscillating fans use very little electricity and circulate the air.

• Close blinds, shades and curtains to keep the sun out and the cool air in.

• Seal cracks and holes around doors, windows and duct work.

Here’s some good news for those looking for some relief from the heat. While the highs this weekend will be unpleasantly high, the lows will be in the comfortable low 70s.