On Thursday, that string of 100-degree days could begin anew, with a predicted high of 100. Friday and Saturday could see temperatures of 101 degrees.

Texans used more electricity Monday than any day of the this year as Dallas-Fort Worth suffered through an 11th consecutive triple-digit scorcher and it's 25th 100-degree day of the year.

Although Texans weren’t using enough power to break the all-time record of 62,339 megawatts set in July 2006, the state’s power grid was running hard. It used 62,124 megawatts, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages about three-quarters of the state’s power.

The grid was using less power as the night went on, meaning demand peaked about 5 p.m.

ERCOT had forecast a possible all-time record day based on North Texas’ heat. However, businesses in the Houston area appeared to be shutting down ahead of Tropical Storm Edouard chugging toward the Texas coast, said ERCOT spokesman Dottie Roark.

ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas reiterated a code “yellow” warning, asking customers to conserve power, especially from 3 to 7 p.m. when the state’s electricity grid sees the most demand.

North Texas came close to a record of its own Monday when the high temperature hit 105, just two degrees shy for the date. The record of 107 was set in 1951.

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Madison High School varsity football players gather around a misting fan during practice on Monday afternoon.

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The unrelenting heat has sent higher-than-usual numbers of residents to local emergency rooms for heat exhaustion or dehydration.

At Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, 14 people entered the emergency room for heat exhaustion or dehydration during July, up from only one in July 2007, said spokesman Steve O’Brien. The hospital’s ER typically averages three or four a month in a typical summer, Mr. O’Brien said.

Baylor Health Care System reported five heat-related admissions to its emergency rooms over the weekend.

So far, four heat-related deaths have been confirmed in Dallas County.

In Collin County, a heat-related death took place Saturday. John Cox, 44, of Josephine was boating on Lake Lavon when his body was discovered about 1:30 p.m., said Tim Wyatt, a county spokesman.

In Tarrant County, authorities Tuesday were investigating a death that they said might be heat-related.

Leon Patterson, 61, of Weatherford, collapsed in the parking lot of a Fort Worth barbecue restaurant around 11:30 p.m. Monday and was pronounced dead later at John Peter Smith Hospital.

According to Fort Worth police, Mr. Patterson told paramedics he had become overheated and felt dizzy before passing out in the parking lot.

Results of an autopsy to determine his cause of death were still pending late Tuesday.

The Salvation Army’s cooling stations, which will remain open over the weekend, have seen dozens of visitors.

Area schools stepped up precautions Monday at the start of high school football practices for those UIL schools that did not have spring workouts.

At St. Mark’s, a SkyScan Thermal Heat Index Indicator placed on the artificial surface at Lamar Hunt Family Stadium recorded a field temperature of 125 degrees before shutting down.

Athletic trainer Doc Browning said he keeps his players hydrated with plenty of water and cooled with ice-cold towels placed on their heads.

“Like Doc says, a cold towel is like a mother’s love,” senior running back Darrien Patterson said. “It does wonders to reduce my body temperature.”

Staff writers Dan X. McGraw, David Hinojosa, Billy Eichenholz, Kevin Krause, Karin Shaw Anderson, Sam Hodges and Daniel Monteverde contributed to this report.