Heat Awareness

Thursday was Heat Awareness day in Wisconsin. It’s kind of hard to talk about extreme heat when we’ve barely reached 80 this spring. Since I’m sure we’ll see at least a couple of scorchers this summer, I’ve decided to do another session of Weather 101 to talk about the dangers of extreme heat.  Did you know that since 1982, heatwaves have killed more people in Wisconsin than all natural disasters combined? Amazing, huh? Get your pencils and paper ready cuz it’s terminology time!

The folks at the National Weather Service use a term called the heat index to determine how hot you actually feel. The index takes into account the air temperature, along with the relative humidity. Generally speaking, a heat index above 100 is cause for concern. Here’s a couple more terms.

A Heat Advisory is issued by the National Weather Service when the daytime heat index value reaches 100° to 104°, or if heat index values of 95° to 99° are expected for at least four consecutive days.

An Excessive Heat Warning is issued by the National Weather Service when daytime heat index values of 105° or greater are expected and nighttime heat index values of 75° or greater are expected. An Excessive Heat Warning will also be issued if heat index values of 100° to 104° or greater are expected for at least four consecutive days.

Please take these advisories/warnings seriously. Extreme heat is very stressful on the body, particularly if you don’t spend a lot of time outdoors in hot weather. Be sure to slow down and limit your activities. Another good idea is to do your outdoor work early in the morning or during the evening after sunset.

Make sure you drink plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty. By the time you feel thirst, you are already dehydrated. And sorry… brewskies don’t count. Alcohol actually speeds up the dehydration process. Be sure to wear light colored, light weight clothing. This will reflect the suns rays away from you. I know this is tough if your into goth, but trust me, you’ll feel much more comfortable.

The very young, the elderly, and those with heart and lung problems are particularly vulnerable to heat, so be sure to check on them. Certain medications can also make you more susceptible to heat related illness, so be sure to check.

If you have outdoor pets, be sure they have a nice shady place to cool off. Make sure they have fresh water at all times. You may need to refill their water dishes several times a day, especially if they like to knock them over. Never… never… leave a pet, or a child for that matter, in a hot car. Even with the windows cracked, the temperature inside the car can reach 130 to 140 degrees in a matter of minutes.  I know many of you have pooches that love to hop in the car and run errands with you. Resist their guilty stares and leave them at home until things cool down a bit. Just bribe them with a treat and make a quick race for the door.

There are three types of heat related illness. The mildest is known as heat cramps. This is a sign that we are taxing our body and not taking in enough fluids. Heat cramps consist of muscle spasms in the legs, abdomen, and arms. If you experience these system, take a break in a cool spot, and drink some water or clear juice. A sports drink is also a good idea.

The next level is heat exhaustion. Symptoms include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea, headache, or fainting. This is a sign that your body is beginning to be overwhelmed by heat. Get into a cool spot, use wet towels or a cold bath to bring your body temperature down. Drink water or clear juice to rehydrate. Get to a doctor if symptoms don’t improve.

The most serious problem is heat stroke. At this time, your body has stopped sweating and has lost the ability to cool itself. In essence, you are slow cooking yourself.  Symptoms include, a high fever, red skin that is hot to the touch, a rapid pulse, throbbing headache, confusion, and eventually,  unconsciousness. This is life threatening, so call 911, then try to get into a cooler environment. If you can, use a cold bath or wet towels to try to cool down. Let me repeat… this is life threatening, so call 911. As someone who had heatstroke as a kid, I know what I’m talking about. I don’t remember much, except for cold baths every two to three hours for nearly two days to get the fever down. It was another week before I had enough energy to go outside. It was a miserable experience.

Before I scare everyone into never going outside again during the summer, keep in mind that excessive heat is fairly rare in Wisconsin. Since 1982, the La Crosse area has seen around 40 days where heat advisories or warnings were needed. (source: NWS Milwaukee)

The best advice I can give is to use common sense. When it gets hot, take it easy and know your limitations. You can do what I do, park yourself next to a fan with some ice cream and watch reruns of 80s sitcoms… okay, was that too much information?

Talk to you next week!