With temperatures predicted to soar above 90 degrees and a dangerous heat wave forecasted through this weekend, West Virginia Emergency Management Division, at the direction of Governor Jim Justice, is urging residents to protect themselves and their communities from the hazards of extreme heat.
“During this scorching heat wave, I urge all citizens to prioritize their safety and well-being,” said Justice. “Stay hydrated, find shade, and look out for one another. Together, we can beat the heat and keep West Virginia strong.”
Today’s high is predicted to exceed 90 degrees for only the fourth or fifth time this year, Dave Dombek, senior meteorologist for Accuweather explained, adding that expected humidity will make the heat even more noticeable.
“Friday probably is the peak of our heat of all the days coming up,” Dombek said. “Friday’s high is 93 and is expected to remain fairly humid.”
But with that added humidity, it could end up feeling closer to the upper 90s.
Saturday will still be humid, but Dombek said the temperatures should back off a bit, predicting a high of 88 degrees with some possible showers and thunderstorms predicted.
Whether this is an official heatwave — typically defined as three or more consecutive days above 90 degree— is still up in the air.
“I don’t know, we won’t know that until it’s all said and done,” Dombek said, “but for all intents and purposes, for the average person out there, it’s going to feel like a heat wave.”
While the heat wave-like temperatures should be short lived this time around, it is still important to take necessary precautions to stay cool and avoid heat-related health problems.
“While the temperature plays a major factor in how hot people perceive the outdoor temperature, it’s only part of the equation,” Dr. Lee B. Smith with the Monongalia County Health Department. “The other part is the humidity.
“If you start perspiring and it is just dripping off of you, that means the air is so full of moisture that there is no evaporation,” Smith said. “Evaporation is the main way that we as mammals cool ourselves.”
If you take away that ability to evaporate, it will make it feel warmer than what the thermometer says, Smith explained. When you get into days with a 90-degree temperature and significant humidity, it can become dangerous.
With any extended period of high temperatures, the chances for heat-related health problems and other dangerous conditions increase significantly — but children, people with medical conditions, and the elderly are even more susceptible.
“Unfortunately, every year throughout North America with the heat waves, hundreds of people succumb to heat-related illnesses which can be life-threatening,” Smith said.
Staying hydrated is key to avoiding problems, Smith said.
“And not just waiting until you are thirsty, but staying after it,” he said.
Smith said avoiding the heat is also a big factor in preventing heat-related complications. If you do not have air conditioning available, go to a public place like a library or shopping mall during the hottest times of the day.
Leaving children and pets unsupervised inside vehicles is always dangerous, but hot temperatures outside of a vehicle create extremely volatile conditions inside.
“A child’s body temperature rises three-to-five times faster than an adult’s and when a child is left in a hot vehicle, the situation could become life-threatening very quickly,” said JJ Miller, safety advisor, AAA East Central. “As parents, caregivers and bystanders, we all play a role in making sure children and animals are protected from these dangerous conditions.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 900 children have died of heat stroke in the last 25 years after being left or trapped in a vehicle. In just 10 minutes, the temperature inside a vehicle can heat up by 20 degrees and become deadly.
According to noheatstroke.org, a group supported by the National Safety Council, there were 33 pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths reported in the United States during 2022 and 14 have been reported so far this year.
Three of the most common heat-related illnesses are heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), sunburn and heat rash are also common.
Heat cramps involve muscle pains or spasms in the stomach, arms, or legs and can be remedied by going to a cooler location, removing excess clothing, and hydrating.
Those suffering from heat exhaustion may experience heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, and fainting. Lying down in an air-conditioned place, removing clothing, a cool bath, or sips of cool sports drinks with salt and sugar can help relieve the symptoms.
If the symptoms of heat cramps or exhaustion persist for more than hour, seek medical attention.
Heat stroke is the most dangerous of the three conditions and usually involves an extremely high body temperature above 103 degrees; red, hot, dry skin with no sweat; a rapid, strong pulse, dizziness, confusion, and unconsciousness. If you believe you or someone else is suffering from heat stroke, it is advised to call 9-1-1 or get the person to a hospital immediately and cool them down with whatever methods are available until medical help arrives.
When it comes to heatstroke, animals are also at risk. Leaving them in a vehicle while running errands, taking a break at a rest stop during a road trip — or for any other reason — can have deadly consequences. Animals left in hot cars can face irreversible organ damage, heatstroke, brain damage and, in extreme cases, death.
According the Humane Society, when it’s 80 degrees outside, the temperature inside your car can heat up to 99 degrees within 10 minutes. So, imagine how quickly it will rise if the temperature outside is in the 90s.
The Humane Society also points out, “rolling down the windows has been shown to have little effect on the temperature inside a car.”
Signs of heatstroke in pets such as cats and dogs can include panting, excessive drooling, vomiting, reddened gums and tongue, a rapid heart rate, and wobbly uncoordinated movement. Animals are also at a more severe rate of risk when they have factors like age (very young, very old), obesity, poor heart/lung conditioning, are a short-nosed, flat-faced breed, or have a thick fur coat.
For more information about heat-related illness and how to stay cool and safe, Dr. Smith recommends checking out the CDC website — www.cdc.gov — which provides a wealth of easy-to-read-and-understand information on extreme heat.
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