HOT, HOT, HOT

Very hot and humid weather today and that is what we will be talking about for the next few days. We did break record highs in a few locations. Georgetown had a record high of 97 degrees, breaking its old record of 90 degrees set in 1986. Salisbury had a record high of 97 degrees also, breaking its old record of 95 degrees set back in 1999. 

Talking about heat, I wanted to stress the importance of taking heat seriously. I thought this quote from NOAA's website was the best.

"Heat is the number one weather-related killer. On average, more than 1,500 people in the U.S. die each year from excessive heat. This number is greater than the 30-year mean annual number of deaths due to tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and lightning combined. In the 40-year period from 1936 through 1975, nearly 20,000 people were killed in the United States by the effects of heat and solar radiation."

Hot temperatures and humidity also make it feel even hotter. If you have ever heard of a heat index, but weren't sure where it came from, the chart below is used to find that value. You can see the value is directly related to heat and relative humidity.


In case you don't know what all of the warnings, watches and advisories mean, let's refresh.

Excessive Heat Watch: "when conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event in the next 12 to 48 hours. A watch is used when the risk of a heat wave has increased, but its occurrence and timing is still uncertain. It is intended to provide enough lead time so those who need to set their plans in motion can do so, such as established individual city excessive heat event mitigation plans."
Excessive Heat Warning/Advisory: "when an excessive heat event is expected in the next 36 hours. These products are issued when an excessive heat event is occurring, is imminent, or has a very high probability of occurrence. The warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property. An advisory is for less serious conditions that cause significant discomfort or inconvenience and, if caution is not taken, could lead to a threat to life and/or property."

Here are a few safety tips for a Heat Wave:
1. Stay away from strenuous activities.
2. Wear lightweight, light colored clothing.
3. Stay away from alcoholic beverages.
4. Try to stay in air-conditioned places.
5. Drink water or non-carbonated beverages.
6. Don't leave kids or animals in a car.
7. Check on elderly family and friends.

Keep checking our website for all of you warnings, watches and advisories.
http://www.wmdt.com/weather