Tips for surviving extreme heat
With record-breaking heatwaves affecting millions of people, here are top tips for staying safe in extreme temperatures.
A potentially record-breaking heat wave is expected to push temperatures above 100 degrees in the Western U.S. later this week, triggering warnings as authorities set up cold storage facilities across the region.
Heat warnings are in effect for millions of people from southwest Oregon to California to parts of Arizona and western Nevada from Tuesday through Friday.
The highest temperatures are expected in Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park, where temperatures could reach 49 degrees this week. In the Palm Springs area of Southern California and the Coachella Valley, afternoon highs could reach 48 degrees.
According to the weather service, temperatures of over 100 degrees are expected in major cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Portland, Oregon. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said emergency personnel have begun preparing for the heat wave and that authorities are setting up cooling centers across the city.
“Homeless people, the elderly, children and people with health problems are most at risk for heat illness,” the Los Angeles weather service said on X. “Daytime highs between 95 and 105 degrees will be common farther away from the coast.”
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Heat waves in the southwest are not uncommon at this time of year
The looming heat wave is not unusual this time of year in Southern California, Western Nevada and Southern Arizona, said Heather Zehr, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.
“September is actually a pretty hot month overall because the months are so far southwest and the climate is so dry. … Average high temperatures usually reach them in late August and early September,” she said.
Zehr noted that the heat wave will be far less severe than an earlier heat wave that broke records across the Southwest in July. That heat wave brought temperatures to 47 degrees in Phoenix, 49 degrees in Las Vegas in the afternoon and highs of 50 degrees in the desert region of Palm Springs. This week, temperatures in all of those areas are expected to remain several degrees below July afternoon highs.
The same cannot be said of the northwest.
Zehr said southwest Oregon typically begins to cool around the beginning of fall as arctic air moves into the region. But the heat wave could challenge daily records in the Willamette Valley, including cities like Portland and Medford, as the forecast calls for temperatures as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
“This is a little more unusual for them,” Zehr said of the heat wave that is sweeping across southern Oregon.
How to stay safe during a heatwave
To stay safe during prolonged heat waves, experts advise avoiding direct sunlight, drinking plenty of water and, if you must go outside, using sunscreen or sun-protective clothing.
Seemal Desai, president of the American Academy of Dermatology, told USA TODAY that people should stay indoors, especially between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun is at its strongest. People should drink water, not just caffeinated beverages or sports drinks, which may be hydrating but contain other chemicals and additives, Desai said.
Kelly Olino, assistant professor of surgical oncology at Yale School of Medicine, urged people to watch for the serious warning signs of heat stroke or heat-related illness: nausea, vomiting and dizziness.
The National Weather Service issued warnings Tuesday reminding people to check their vehicles for children and pets before leaving them unattended, as interior temperatures of cars can reach life-threatening temperatures in a matter of minutes, the weather service said.
How extreme heat can affect your health
Experts say that while warm weather improves mental health—people go outside when the weather is nice and get more vitamin D—extreme heat can have the opposite effect.
“Heat has been shown to cause irritability, restlessness, anxiety and cognitive impairment,” Susan Albers-Bowling, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, told USA TODAY in June. “Research also shows that during heat waves, suicide rates, domestic violence, drug use and crime all increase significantly.”
Albers-Bowling said the high temperatures can disrupt sleep and affect the effects of certain medications. Extreme heat can also cause hormonal changes, including a rise in the stress hormone cortisol, and impair alertness and cognition, she said.
Contributors: Doyle Rice
