CLEVELAND — More than 260,000 people are still without power Thursday after strong storms wreaked havoc on Tuesday afternoon. The storms produced at least a few tornadoes, sending down power lines and trees. 

While it was cool for the first part of the week, the second half of the week is heating up. Many areas will hit the 80s on Thursday, and the high 70s on Friday.

Here are some tips to keep your home and yourself cool while dealing with a power outage and high temperatures:

• Try to keep the heat out. Residents can do this by closing the curtains to block the sun and heat from getting into the home. Residents can also install reflectors in the windows to reflect heat back outside. A way to do this is to get cardboard and wrap it in aluminum foil. 
• Get to the lowest level. Heat rises, which means floors that are higher up are going to be much warmer than floors closer to the ground.
• Depending on the temperature, it's OK to open the windows. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends keeping windows closed if it's 95 degrees or hotter, as it can only worsen the situation. FEMA recommends if it's below 95 degrees, opening the windows may help filter some of the warmer air out of the home. Additionally, opening the windows at night and early in the morning can help cool down your indoor temperature.
• Gather supplies you need. During a power outage, it's important to have food on hand that you can eat, such as bread, peanut butter, oranges and other items that don't need refrigerated. Look for the foods that could help you stay cool, such as cucumber and watermelon. YMCA of the North also recommends other foods, such as sweet peppers, tomatoes, grapefruit and melon. Which leads into the next tip:
• Stay hydrated. Fruits and vegetables have a high concentration of water, and in addition to drinking an adequate amount of water throughout the day, it can help keep your body temperature cooler compared to if it was dehydrated. 
• Since plug-in fans won't work, opt for battery-powered fans.
• Also, if your home is unbearable, it's OK to leave the home, so make sure you have gas in the car. Depending on the city, there may be cooling centers set up or businesses that have AC and WiFi. Check your local community pages on Facebook, city websites and more to see if there are areas offering a place for residents to cool down.