It is anticipated that starting Tuesday June 18th – Friday June 21st, an extreme heat event will impact our area. There is the potential for real feel temperatures to reach 105 degrees on Wednesday and/or Thursday. This is not a normal heatwave, but an extreme event that has not happened in decades or for some places in New York ever. It is important that you are prepared for this long duration event.
This link https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heatrisk/ from the National Weather Service provides an experimental color-numeric-based index that provides a forecast risk of heat-related impacts to occur over a 24-hour period. HeatRisk takes into consideration:
- How unusual the heat is for the time of the year
- The duration of the heat including both daytime and nighttime temperatures
- If those temperatures pose an elevated risk of heat-related impacts based on data from the CDC
The information provided can help you better prepare for the forecasted extreme heat.
Here are some tips you can use to reduce the risk of heat related problems in your home and community.
- Close all windows and shades to keep sunlight from entering into the your home and reduce the amount of heat building up inside your home. If possible turn off lights and other non-essential things that can create heat or draw power as well.
- As long as temperatures remain below 95 degrees in the home use fans to circulate the air. If temperatures are over 95 degrees do no use fans.
- Find a public place that is air conditioned like a mall, library or grocery store and spend some time in there during peak heating (10am – 4:00pm)
- Make sure to have access to drinking water and drink water regularly.
- Watch for signs and symptoms of heat illness and make sure you are aware of those signs and symptoms (see links below for details).
- Consider postponing outdoor activities (lawn mowing, exercising etc.) especially during the peak heating of the day (10am – 4:00pm).
- Pay close attention to anyone with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, and heart conditions. Extreme heat can be very taxing on these individuals.
- Just in case someone suffers from a heat related illness know some basic first aid steps to take like, begin cooling the person immediately, if conscious and able to do so provide cool water to drink.
- Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. These can make it harder for your body to regulate body temperature.
- Check on the very young and elderly. Their body’s do not regulate heat as well as others.
Click here for a flyer with infromation about heat exhaustion and heat stroke
Click here for a flyer on how to avoid heat related illness
Click here for an additional flyer with information and tips for dealing with extreme heat
These are just some of the things you can do to ensure the health and well-being of your family and neighbors Remember heat has a cumulative effect on the body. One day of extreme heat is manageable, but the longer the heat stays in place the harder it is for a person to recover and stay well. Again, the reason this information is being provided is that this extreme heat event is extremely rare for Upstate NY and has the potential to be record breaking.
Finally this link https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/weather/cooling/ provides information about cooling centers located in our region. Please feel free to share this link with friends and neighbors that do not have or cannot afford air conditioning. Contact your county Emergency Preparedness Office if you have any questions:
- Warren County Emergency Preparedness – (518) 761-6580
- Washington County Emergency Preparedness – https://linktr.ee/washconypublicsafety
- Hamilton County Emergency Preparedness – (518) 548-6223
- Saratoga County Emergency Preparedness – (518) 885-2232
- Essex County Emergency Preparedness – (518) 873-3900
Please stay safe!