Hot Days and Warm Nights Can Be a Dangerous Combination

When the heat and humidity climb during the day, many look forward to the cooler temperatures at night to help cool off.  But when the nights are warm too, relief from the heat is hard to come by and can actually become a dangerous combination.  The dangers of heat increase if it lingers for more than one day.  The warm nights don't give our bodies time to cool down before the heat returns the next day.  And several days of heat and humidity, with little to no relief at night, puts a big stress on our bodies.


The impact of the 'urban heat island' can actually work to intensify the heat during extreme hot weather events.  Bigger cities have a higher concentration of buildings and more asphalt surrounding the city than outlying areas or the countryside.  During the day the buildings and asphalt work to absorb the heat from the sun, sometimes bringing the temperatures up inside the core of the city nearly 10-20 degrees warmer than the surrounding areas.  All that heat is then released at night helping to keep overnight low temperatures warmer than the surrounding areas.


During times of extreme heat it's important to check on friends, family or neighbors who may not have air conditioning.  If you have to be outdoors, limit the amount of time you're outside, take frequent breaks in the air conditioning and make sure to drink plenty of water.  Don't wait until you're thirsty, because that may be a sign that's it too late.