Local experts offer tips to stay cool during this week’s heat wave

Summer starts in about a week, but the hottest days of the year so far have arrived in Johnson County.

The Indianapolis office of the National Weather Service is forecasting heat indexes around or above 100 degrees throughout this week and has also issued heat advisories for much of central Indiana. A heat advisory is issued whenever meteorologists expect heat indices to be above 105 degrees, said Kacie Hoover, a meteorologist with the Indianapolis forecast office.

Heat indices, or a heat index, are similar to a ‘real feel’ temperature that combines the factors of heat and humidity.

Johnson County, along with most of Central Indiana, was placed under two heat advisories Monday morning. The first was from 10 a.m to 9 p.m Monday, with forecasters expecting a heat index up to 105 degrees. The second goes into effect Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. and will last through 9 p.m. Wednesday. Heat index values of up to 108 degrees are expected Tuesday and Wednesday, forecasts say.

Temperatures on Monday were expected to peak near 91 degrees, with heat index values up to 103 degrees. The temperatures were only expected to get higher from there.

Tuesday’s high is expected to be near 96 degrees, with heat index values as high as 106 degrees. The high on Wednesday is expected to be one degree higher, around 97 degrees. The heat index is expected to be around 107, forecasts say.

“It will be hot and muggy,” Hoover said about this week’s forecast.

While advisories have only been issued through Wednesday as of Monday afternoon, meteorologists are expecting the heat index to still be above 100 on Thursday. However on Friday and into the weekend, temperatures are expected to cool down slightly to the 80s, she said.

“We are expecting a slight cool-down for this weekend,” Hoover said. “It’ll be back down into the 80s, but models are showing that next week it will be hot too. It’s too soon to say exactly how hot.”

Thursday’s high is expected to be around 95 degrees and Friday’s was expected to be around 88 degrees. The high on Saturday is expected to be near 86 degrees, and on Sunday, the high is expected to be near 87, forecasts say.

Having a heat wave at some point during the summer is normal, but the normal average high around this time is closer to 82 degrees, Hoover said.

Having 90-degree temperatures after a period of having fairly mild temperatures is going to catch people off guard, but there are ways to help residents manage the effects of the heat wave, said Mike Pruitt, Bargersville Community Fire Department deputy chief.

While officials say you should try to stay inside if possible, if you do go out, you should make sure you hydrate frequently by drinking plenty of water. You should also take plenty of breaks, and if you’re in charge of someone who is working outside, you should make sure they’re taking plenty of breaks too, Pruitt said.

You should also make sure to wear proper clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen, he said.

“There’s nothing worse than getting dehydrated and then getting sunburnt,” Pruitt said.

Being out in the heat also increases the risk of someone getting heat illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion is similar to sun exposure, but it can lead to nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness and even fainting or passing out. It can also lead to heat stroke, which is often exhibited by cramping and confusion in its later stages, said Dr. Matthew Connelly, an emergency medicine physician at Community Health Network.

“It’s a real spectrum from heat exhaustion all the way up to heat strokes that folks hear about,” Connelly said.

While excessive perspiration is a symptom of heat exposure, the lack of perspiration is a symptom of heat stroke, said Dr. Chris Ross, an emergency medicine physician at Community Health Network.

Heat strokes can strain the heart, kidneys and muscles and can be difficult to recover from at home, so doctors recommend you call 911 or come to a hospital if you or someone you know is suffering from its symptoms, Connelly said.

People should also check on their elderly neighbors and those with special health conditions during the heat wave. In addition to making sure their air conditioning works, people should be aware that they may not be as mobile when it comes to getting water or moving to shaded areas, Pruitt and Ross said.

Children who are playing should also be checked on as they may not be able to shelter themselves or get the tools needed to hydrate themselves as recommended while they are out in the heat, Ross said.

Additionally, people need to make sure they don’t leave pets or children in cars, as this can be fatal when it is this hot outside. There are incidents every year across the country where parents left a child in the backseat because they didn’t realize they were there. This is often the result of a change of routine where a parent who does not usually transport the kid, transports them, forgets to drop them off at daycare and drives to their destination – leaving the kid in the car, Pruitt said.

“I’ve done some of these hot car drills where we sit in the car without power in the heat, and the temperature went up by over 50 degrees in minutes,” he said. “Cracking a window is not going to help in that situation.”

First responders recommend that if you have a child in the backseat, you should put an important item back there, such as a purse, wallet or briefcase, so you remember to check the backseat for a child before you leave your vehicle, Pruitt said.

SYMPTOMS OF HEAT ILLNESSES

Here’s a look at the common symptoms of heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and what you should do for treatment:

COOLING OFF AT THE POOL

With temperatures rising, here’s a look at nearby pools where you and your family can cool off: