July 25, 2005 Hello! It has been hot outside! In Phoenix, Arizona, where many expect it to be hot, weather has been dangerously above normal for those who have to leave the air conditioned buildings, or for those who do not have access to air conditioning at all. "Friday, July 22,
2005 This heat brings to mind the homeless living outdoors day and night. Also affected are those with jobs that require them to be working outside (construction workers, mail carriers,...). And it is not just Arizona, or even just the Southwest, that is feeling the heat. Cities that are not used to such high temperatures are trying to help the many in their communities that do not have air conditioning in their homes. "Jul 25, 2005 9:28
am US/Central Heat Wave Brings Triple-Digit Temps To Midwest...
More than 200 cities and towns in the western part of the United
States have set heat records this summer. Chicago, Ill. and St.
Louis, Mo. hit 102 degrees on Sunday, while Iowa City, Iowa and
Phoenix, Ariz. hit 101. In Iowa, the heat index made it feel like
113 degrees outside this weekend. Chicago's heat index topped
105, a big concern in a city where many residents don't have air
conditioning. Both Des Moines, Iowa and Chicago opened cooling
centers to help people escape the heat. In Illinois, emergency
workers went door-to-door checking on senior citizens. They urged
everyone to check on their neighbors." As the heat left the Midwest, it headed east. "July 25, 2005 -
It will be dangerously hot across most of South Carolina Monday
afternoon. ... The weather service says heat index levels could
reach 110 in the Upstate between noon and 6:00pm. City officials
are urging citizens to use caution this week." While people may think to "use caution" in a tornado or hurricane, the dangers of heat are sometimes forgotten. "Heat is the number-one
weather killer in this country. Extreme heat and humidity associated
with heat waves directly killed on average at least 237 people
a year in the United States for the period of 1994-2003." How does heat become dangerous? "Our bodies dissipate
heat by varying the rate and depth of blood circulation, by losing
water through the skin and sweat glands, and as a last resort,
by panting, when blood is heated above 98.6°F. Sweating cools
the body through evaporation. However, high relative humidity
retards evaporation, robbing the body of its ability to cool itself.
When heat gain exceeds the level the body can remove, body temperature
begins to rise, and heat related illnesses and disorders may develop." "Heat related illnesses and disorders" include: "Heat Cramps: Muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are often the first signal that the body is having trouble with the heat. "Heat Exhaustion: Typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs. This results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim's condition will worsen. Body temperature will keep rising and the victim may suffer heat stroke. "Heat Stroke: A
life-threatening condition. The victim's temperature control system,
which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body
temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result
if the body is not cooled quickly." Just plain high temperatures can be dangerous. Add to that a Heat Wave, or a high Heat Index, and conditions can get even more hazardous. "Heat Wave: Prolonged
period of excessive heat, often combined with excessive humidity. With the heat that has hit this July (2005), Heat Index has been mentioned frequently. "The Heat Index
(HI) is the temperature the body feels when heat and humidity
are combined. The chart below shows the HI that corresponds to
the actual air temperature and relative humidity. (This chart
is based upon shady, light wind conditions. Exposure to direct
sunlight can increase the HI by up to 15*F.)" If the Heat Index is higher, it is even harder for the body to cool itself. This is not just a number that means it feels hotter; this is a number that means your body is heating up -- and struggling to cool -- as if it were this other temperature. (Just as higher humidity can raise the heat index tens of degrees, very low humidity can drop the heat index a couple of degrees and help the body cool itself as if it were the lower temperature.) Questions of the Week: Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. I look forward to reading what you have to say. Cindy |
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