We are having some really hot weather and not just in Florida or Texas. Some of this heat is new to you guys at this temperature range. We are setting record highs everywhere. Living in a state that stays hot most of the time, I thought I would offer some tips. You may already know most of these but it never hurts to remind you folks some of we Florida state residents know from experience..
The earth is warming and warming and the deniers even though their sweat stained brows will squint and say climate change does not exist.
My husband will never go by the actual temperature showing or what the weather channel says. He says that the heat index is the true indicator of how the heat is affecting us. I believe him. Dew point, humidity, etc. Today in Florida the heat index is 107. The humidity is high.
Temperatures ranging this July is semmingly exceptional .
If you never have seen the miniseries...Fire next time.… It is almost prophetic and was a minseries in 1993….It even had a Katrina part in New Orleans 12 years before the actual Katrina in it. Amazing. Of course it also had which I found astonishing all the militias...and I thought back then...That won’t happen but here we are.
Longer and more frequent heat waves is only expected to increase as climate change worsens." Extreme heat kills more people in the United States than any other weather hazard, and the risk of longer and more frequent heat waves is only expected to increase as climate change worsens.
The Post is tracking the potential for dangerous heat this summer using the heat index, which accounts for the combined impact of temperature and humidity — the higher the humidity, the more difficult it is for the body to cool itself off through sweating. Heat disorders such as heat stroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion are possible with any extended exposure to a heat index at or above 90 degrees.
When you feel the heat is just stopping you in your tracks. Try this.
First of all, do not get out in this heat unless necessary. The hottest temperatures are from about 10:00 AM onward. I feel 3 is breattakingly hot.
As a general rule, it takes about three to four hours after the moment of highest solar intensity to achieve maximum warmth. In most places the sun is most intense somewhere between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. People usually run the greatest risk of sunburn and skin damage during this window since the concentration of ultraviolet rays tends to be highest, but heatstroke and exhaustion are most common later in the day, when the sun’s energy has warmed the environment.
If you do have to be outside, take breaks and STAY HYDRATED.
Wear loose fitting clothes and light colored clothes. Find shade often. Hats are important.
If you work in the sun I surely feel for you. Wear hats. Keep on sunscreen and wear long sleeves as it absorbs the sweat that cools the body which is why you must stay hydrated and with water, or drink gatoraid or something that will replinish the electrolytes. Watermelon is good. Lettuce is good. Eat light. Drink more. Stay away from excessive caffeine and alcohol as it dehydrates.
Dehydration sneaks up on a person.
Inside the house, if you have air conditioning...Please use it.
Also use any fans that you have. I am partial to oscilating fans except for when needed to be directional for home made cooling with ice. If you do not have A/C...Take a bucket or cooler full of ice and place the cooler on a chair in front of the fan and you have homemade AC. It does work in that space.
Place your sheets in a huge garbage bag and place them in the refrigerator to stay dry but cool and will be cool when you put them on the bed.
Don’t be afraid to use cool water on a washcloth on the back of the neck. Tepid water works as well.
Don’t feel bad about slowing down no matter how many folks think you are lazy. This is especially true for folks over 60. Take a nap. Heat zaps you. It is so important to slow down and cool off.
If you have a swimming pool, it usually is too hot sometimes to swim. Too hot you say? Yep. The water temp in the pool can be 85 or 90 something . Wait until the sun goes down to take a plunge.
Take a shower instead of that swim that is sweltering in the sun. Wait until the evening temps for those laps or early morning.
As an elderly person, one should really be careful in this heat but it can affect anyone. The south and other areas have always had heat waves but not always used to the cooling conveniences we are used to which kind of puts our body in a shock mode when the heat hits hard . The climate is changing and it gets hotter and hotter every single year.
Take Care of yourself and be prepared to stay as comfortable as possible. If you are out...go in a mall or theatre or stores where you can cool off if out and about. Just don’t stay out in that heat too long.
If the grids go down, we need to know how to cool off as best we can and staying indoors will be a priortiy. We are beginning to have brown outs already in Florida. Overuse of all of our utlities is taking a toll. Try light meals and don’t use the oven more than necessary. Do the crock pocket or grill but I opt for the insta pot or crock pocket instead of heating up the whole house. I feel it is going to get worse. I thought storms and rain would cool thinks off like it used to but only during the rain...When the sun hits again, it is really hot.
I am sure you all know these things but the main thing is stay hydrated, out of the heat as much as possible and slow down or nap.
Take care and know we have to appreciate those folks before cooling devices that worked the fields in the hot sun and how they felt. They did not have to put up with our homemade pollutions which is hurting us as well and they beaches were cleaner.
Heat Wave
A brutal heat wave is expanding across Texas and the South this week, impacting millions of Americans with triple-digit temperatures and extreme humidity that is cranking up the heat index, making it feel hotter than 110 degrees in some of the region’s most populous cities.
But forecasters are warning that there is a more dangerous aspect to this heat wave, and one that is becoming more common because of the climate crisis: overnight temperatures are not cooling down enough, offering little reprieve from the oppressive heat — particularly for people who don’t have access to air conditioning.
The National Weather Service highlighted the insidious nature of this week’s heat wave in a statement on Monday, when forecasters at the Weather Prediction Center noted “there may be more danger than a typical heat event, due to the longevity of near-record or record high nighttime lows and elevated heat index readings.”