DES MOINES – After several months of below-average temperatures, Iowa is seeing its first real spell of hot weather.

Temperatures reached into the mid-to-upper 90s Monday with heat indexes well above 100.

On Sunday, Council Bluffs hit 99 degrees with a heat index of 122.

Shenandoah also had a high Sunday of 99 with a heat index of 118. In Carroll, the temperature hit 97, but it felt more like 124.

The steamy weather prompted the National Weather Service to issue a heat advisory for much of southwest and south central Iowa.

“We’ve been below average for the past three months, so this is a little change of pace,” said Ken Podrazik, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Des Moines.

The hot spell was expected to be short-lived, with cooler weather already expected to begin moving in by Tuesday, he said.

“By the middle and the end of the week, we should be back to near normal or slightly below-normal temperatures,” Podrazik said.

For Mark Crawford, the owner of Big Creek Marina and Boat Rentals at Big Creek State Park north of Des Moines, the hot weather couldn’t have come at a better time.

“We’re really busy, finally,” Crawford said. “This has been about the worst year I’ve ever seen for weather.”

He said heavy rains and flooding kept business slow early this summer.

Things just started to recover with the 4th of July weekend, but a big thunderstorm about two weeks ago caused some damage to docks and other equipment.

For those venturing out into the heat, Podrazik issued a reminder to drink plenty of fluids, to wear light-colored, lightweight clothing, and take frequent breaks to stay cool.