MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Fourth of July is starting with a bang, with heat alerts issued across the area. An Excessive Heat Warning was issued Wednesday night across the News Channel 3 viewing area, and will remain in effect until 9 p.m. Thursday. ► See Weather Alerts by county here The high temperature is expected to hit 98 degrees Thursday — 92 is normal and 100 is the record. But the real problem is the heat index, or the "feels like" temperature. That could reach as high as 113 degrees. Check the latest forecasts from WREG Weather But there is some good news. Thursday evening into the overnight hours, showers are expected to sweep through, bringing down the temperature and leading to a more comfortable weekend.