Mid-Missouri heat, humidity reaching potentially dangerous levels this week
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The kind of heat Mid-Missouri will experience this week has the potential to cause major health havoc if people don't take the proper precautions.
Highs are expected to reach the upper 90s Thursday and Friday over much of the area, leading to possible heat indexes of 100 degrees or more.
The Union of Concerned Scientists released an analysis on heat-related illnesses and says that as the heat index increases, more people are put at risk.
The group said as the heat index hits 90 degrees, outdoor workers become more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. When the heat index hits 100 degrees, the elderly, children, pregnant women and those with underlying conditions become more susceptible.
Everyone becomes susceptible to heat-related illnesses when the heat index reaches 105 degrees, according to the analysis.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the two big concerns when spending a prolonged time in the heat are heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat exhaustion symptoms can include:
• Muscle cramping
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness or fainting
Patients with heat exhaustion might have cool, moist skin, along with a fast, weak pulse and rapid, shallow breathing.
Heat stroke symptoms can include:
- A body temperature greater than 103°F
- Rapid, strong pulse
- Throbbing headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Unconsciousness
According to the CDC, from 1999 to 2010, 8,081 heat related deaths were reported in the United States.
If a home is not air-conditioned, people can reduce their risk for heat-related illness by spending time in public facilities that are air-conditioned. Several cooling centers are open in Columbia.
Other protective measures include frequently drinking water or nonalcoholic fluids; wearing lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing; and reducing or eliminating strenuous activities or doing them during cooler parts of the day.
