The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: How Hot is the Summer in the Outer Region? An Empirical Study of the Trends in Heat Index
The summer is expected to be Warmer-than-normal. According to the world health organization, there’s a lot of heat in the summer.
Salas says, “If you’re being active outside, whether that’s working, exercising or playing sports, as you work, your muscles are producing heat.” So take a moment to stop producing heat and cool down in the shade or an air-conditioned room.
Seniors, children, people with pre-existing medical conditions, and people on common prescribed medications should be aware of their blood pressure and mental health issues. They are at higher risk of heat-related illnesses, Salas says.
Before starting your lifeguard shift or going to that barbecue, take a moment to 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. One of the most dangerous times of the day is in the afternoon.
There are lightweight garments to wear when going to the pool or going for a walk. Opt for cotton or linen fabrics, which have big pores in their woven threads that allow for air circulation, or moisture-wicking materials, which draw sweat away from your skin, helping it to evaporate more quickly, Ward says.
Salas says you should choose loose-fitting silhouettes. Your skin can’t evaporate sweat if your clothes are too tight, this is important to keeping you cool. “I’m sure people don’t like 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.
How do you feel when you’re inside on a hot day? Directions for avoiding heat exhaustion on the exterior of an outdoor area
It feels hot if you’re in your location. 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 around you 10 degrees or more by just moving to an area that’s shaded.”
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. You may be tempted to crack open a cold beer on the beach, but it’s a diuretic that can dehydrate you and impact your ability to sweat and cool yourself.
If you’re feeling hot and need a quick way to cool down, you can also submerge yourself in a body of water. If that’s not feasible, dunk your feet and arms in cold water, Ward says. Your core body temperature can be lowered by it.
“Some of the body’s major blood vessels closer to the skin live there,” Salas says. And when you put something cold on those areas, “it can help cool the blood running through them.”
Source: Planning to be outside on a hot day? Take these precautions
Bringing Back Home: Welcome to summer: U.S. braces for first significant heat wave of the new season [[Welcome to summer]
Malaka is the editor of this story. Beck Harlan is the visual editor. We would love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.
He believed that it would feel like middle-of- summer humidity. “I mean, we’re talking low-to-mid 70-degree dew points, and that’s going to feel pretty uncomfortable.”
In Wisconsin, heat indexes could peak at between 100 to 105. Ben Miller of the NWS 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 is having an impact on heat waves as they last longer and rise in temperature. 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. The previous record for dangerously high temperatures was held by 2023.
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 among the countries that agreed to try to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, at a 2015 conference of the United Nations in Paris.
Source: Welcome to summer: U.S. braces for first significant heat wave of the new season
The Heat Index: How to Avoid a Heat-Induced Car Accident, and If You Have Water, Thermoproof your Car
The heat index is a measure of how hot it actually feels — based on the temperature and the humidity — compared to the actual number on the thermometer.
If you must leave a person in a car, use air conditioners and the shade, and drink plenty of water to avoid getting ill from the heat, the NWS encourages you to do so.