How Hot is it Going to Get This Summer?

Why should I care how hot it is going to get this summer? Because, especially in the city, heat stroke can be very dangerous to the elderly or young children. The Red Cross has a brochure that can be downloaded as PDF or plain text that explains the possible dangers of the summer heat. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/heatwave.pdf Here is the link for the PDF, a tri-fold brochure with a wealth of information. What I found most interesting on the site was their Heat Index Chart. This chart compares temperature and humidity and categorizes each "relative temperature" according to a color. This graph can be found at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index.shtml There are also other links on the page to different heat awareness resources including a checklist to see if your family is prepared for a heatwave. According to the National Weather Service, Office of Climate, Water and Weather Services even temperatures beginning at 91 degrees can be dangerous. The Red Cross (as part of their brochure) has more information about preparadness and avoidance of heat-related illnesses. On their web page: http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_243_,00.html The American Red Cross gives these tips for preparation for the summer months: If a Heat Wave Is Predicted or Happening... Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor, out of the sunshine. Try to go to a public building with air conditioning each day for several hours. Remember, electric fans do not cool the air, but they do help sweat evaporate, which cools your body. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. Drink plenty of water regularly and often. Your body needs water to keep cool. Drink plenty of fluids even if you do not feel thirsty. Water is the safest liquid to drink during heat emergencies. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them. They can make you feel good briefly, but make the heat's effects on your body worse. This is especially true about beer, which dehydrates the body. Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increase metabolic heat. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.

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So what does this have to do with us? Here is the weather forcast for this Saturday, June the 14th on a large scale, national map. Look at the heat index when applied to an actual place, and then I'm sure the importance of paying attention to your heat behaviors will be more important! Click on this link and check out the image of the United States as the projected temperatures for Saturday. http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heat_index_MAX/bchi_day3.html

Keep checking back for more updates!