The US braces for the first heat wave of the summer
Looking out for each other during the heat wave: Checking the heat index of your local area before going out for a picnic, swimming or walking
Friday marks the start of summer and the National Weather Service predicts a heat wave that will feel like triple-digit temperatures across most of the country.
If you’re out with a group of friends, look out for each other to make sure you’re safe on the hot day. Salas says somebody might notice something that you don’t notice.
Everyone in high heat environments is at risk of suffering from heat-related complications — including death — but pregnant people, children, those suffering from chronic illness and the elderly are at the highest risk of experiencing dangerous symptoms as a result of high temperatures.
Before you go for the barbecue or begin your lifeguard shift, make sure you check the heat index. It includes humidity as well as the air temperature, giving you a more accurate read on how hot it will feel outside, Ward says.
If you can, plan outdoor activities earlier in the day, before the hottest time of day in your area. “Three to 5 p.m. in the afternoon is one of the most dangerous times of day,” says Ward.
If you’re going to the pool or walking, wear lightweight, breathable garments. Cotton and linen fabrics have pores in their woven threads that allow for air circulation and they also have materials that draw sweat away from your skin, which makes them ideal for shaving, Ward says.
Choose loose-fitting silhouettes, Salas says. The sweat on your skin can’t evaporate, which is the main reason to keep your body cool. “I’m sure people aren’t fond of sweating profusely, but it’s our friend when it comes to heat.”
Don’t forget sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat to prevent sunburn, says Alyssa Provencio, a professor at the University of Central Oklahoma who researches emergency and disaster management.
Where are you going? Making sure to stay outside on a hot day to avoid heat exhaustion, Ward tells npr
Your location can make a big difference in how hot it feels. Dark surfaces like asphalt tend to absorb more heat than natural environments. And because shaded areas have less solar exposure, they can feel much cooler. “You can reduce the temperature by moving to a shaded area and not being in the heat.”
So if you’re a dog walker and it’s a hot day, walk those pets down a tree-lined park or a wooded trail instead of the sidewalk. Or if you’re headed to the pool, bring a sun umbrella or a pop-up tent to provide some coverage, Provencio says.
If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of heat exhaustion, Salas recommends going into an air-conditioned room. Provencio recommends public libraries because they’re free and open to everyone.
Beware of drinking alcohol on hot days, she says. It is a diuretic that can impact your ability to sweat andcool yourself if you try to open a cold beer on the beach.
If you’re feeling hot, put an ice pack, a wet towel or a cooling towel, which stays extra cold when they get wet, on the back of your neck, under your armpits and on your groin, Ward says.
Salas said some of the body’s major blood vessels live there. “It can help cool the blood that’s running through them” when you put something cold on them.
Source: Planning to be outside on a hot day? Take these precautions
U.S. braces for first significant heat wave of the new season: a report from Malaka at the NRCS Center in Philadelphia, Wisconsin
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He said it’s going to feel like the middle of summer. That’s going to feel pretty uncomfortable, because we’re talking low- to-mid 70 degree dew points.
The heat index could hit the triple digits in Wisconsin. Ben Miller told Wisconsin Public Radio that since it has been a pretty mild spring, people aren’t used to it.
The city of Philadelphia, for example, has issued a code red warning for its residents in order to transfer homeless people to indoor locations, member station WHYY reports. The notice is put into effect when the heat index is forecast at above 95 degrees for three or more days in a row.
Climate change has caused heat waves to last longer and peak at higher temperatures. The average number of heat waves the U.S. experiences today has doubled since the 1980s, and the length of the dangerous heat wave season has increased from about 40 days to roughly 70.
The summer of 2024 was the hottest on record since countries began documenting their temperatures in the 1800s. Last year unseated 2023, the previous record holder for dangerously high temperatures.
Hotter weather can have immediate repercussions on human health, but the long-term effects of climate change also threaten the planet’s plant and animal life and natural landscapes.
The United States was one of the nations that agreed at the United Nations conference in Paris to try to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to combat the changing climate.
How hot is your house? Using the heat index to help protect yourself from heat stroke in the heat-fluid climate of Central Florida
The heat index measures how hot it is, based on the temperature and the humidity, while the actual number on the thermometer is just a number.
NWS encourages people to use air conditioners and shade, even if they don’t wish to, and to drink lots of water, even if they aren’t thirsty, because it is important to protect against heat stroke in the summer.
