Heat wave to bring potentially dangerous temperatures to Connecticut this week

Connecticut’s first major heat wave of 2024 will bring dangerously hot conditions and possible record temperatures.The entire state will be under an excessive heat watch starting at noon on Tuesday through noon on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.“Hot and humid conditions will combine to produce maximum heat index values approaching 100 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday,” the weather service’s New York office said.The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the body when humidity is combined with the air temperature, according to the NWS.The heat wave, accompanied by high humidity, will make it feel like 95 to 105 degrees or even hotter most of this week. This prolonged period of intense heat is expected to start Monday and could persist until Saturday, with the most intense heat hitting between Wednesday and Friday.“The heat index is what makes it so extreme,” said Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist at the Western Connecticut State University Weather Center. “So if it is 99 degrees for a high and with a dewpoint of 67, that’s a heat index between 100 and 105 for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. With those kind of temperatures, the human body is unable to cool off on its own.”The record high temperatures for this same week in Connecticut are; 95 degrees in 1994 on June 18, 95 degrees in 1995 on June 19, 97 degrees in 2012 on June 20, and 96 degrees in 2012 on June 21, according to Lessor.“It’s not unprecedented to have 90 degree weather in June, but it is a little bit early to have extended heat waves like this,” Lessor said. “In North and Central Connecticut we will have temperatures as high as 99 degrees. Other parts of the state will get to 94 through 96 inland. Along the immediate shoreline, we’re only talking mid-80s temperatures. So the shoreline is definitely the place to go this week, because it won’t be as extreme as inland and in the northern parts of the state.”This year marks the first time the new HeatRisk tool will be used.The tool, developed by the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows the risks of heat-related impacts from extreme heat. From Tuesday through Saturday, most of Connecticut will be in the highest HeatRisk categories, showing the potential risks this heat wave may bring to the region.Health HazardsHeat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, happen when the body is not able to properly cool itself. While the body normally cools itself by sweating, during extreme heat, this might not be enough and people begin to exhibit symptoms, according to Dr. Cynthia Price, emergency medicine physician at Hartford Healthcare.“These are not the days to go out and work in the yard or garden,” Price said. “Save that for the early morning or late evening, but not in the middle of the day.”Price said that she sees a spike in hospital admittances and emergency room visits from heat-related illness during times of extreme heat. Populations most at risk include both young children and the elderly. Individuals with co-morbidity and those taking medication are also at risk for developing adverse health impacts from extreme heat.“If you’re looking at the physical signs of extreme heat you going to start with heat cramps. You might feel a little queasy or your legs get a little shaky. Often that then progresses to heat exhaustion. You start to sweat profusely and turn pale. You start to see nausdea, dizziness and vomiting. That can then go on to something called heat stroke where they are unable to get themselves cooled. This is when immediate medical care is needed.”Price also said that staying hydrated and keeping cool are the most effective ways to fight the impacts of extreme heat.“Just keep drinking water,” Price said. “Not beer, not energy drinks or iced coffee. Make water your hydration source for these hot days.”Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com

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