Heat advisory through Friday: How to stay safe as central West Virginia nears 100 degrees

As temperatures across central West Virginia soar toward 100 degrees this week, the National Weather Service has placed Upshur County under a heat advisory that runs through 10 p.m. Friday.

Forecasters expect an extended stretch of hot, humid weather to peak Thursday, with heat index values — a measure of what the air actually feels like — climbing as high as 105 degrees. The advisory covers most of West Virginia, along with parts of southwest Virginia, and warns that the combination of high heat and humidity may cause heat illnesses.

“Dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 105 are expected. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” the NWS advises.

That gap between the temperature on the thermometer and the way the air feels is exactly what a West Virginia University exercise physiologist says people should watch most closely.

“It’s not the temperature that matters most, but how hot it feels,” said Brian Leary, assistant professor and director of tactical performance physiology in the WVU School of Medicine Division of Exercise Physiology.

The heat index, as the National Weather Service explains, factors humidity in with the air temperature to capture how hot it really feels. Low humidity feels cooler than high humidity at the same temperature. Leary suggests using a weather app that offers a “real feel” or “apparent temperature” reading, especially for people more vulnerable to extreme heat.

“When the heat index is greater than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, individuals should begin to exercise caution, especially if they are in charge of youth or older adults, both of whom are high-risk populations,” Leary said.

He noted that detailed heat index charts are available through National Weather Service heat safety resources.

Heat is dangerous, and sometimes deadly. More than 700 people die from extreme heat every year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which lists older adults, young children and people with chronic medical conditions among those at highest risk for heat-related illness and death.

Leary pointed to several groups who need extra care. Children are one.

“Children are less efficient at regulating their body temperatures, and their small body sizes can heat up more quickly,” he said. “Make sure they are dressed appropriately, drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks.”

Outdoor workers are another.

“Outdoor workers frequently do strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day,” Leary said. “Those activities raise internal body temperature, which exacerbates the effect of temperature and humidity. They also tend to wear personal protective equipment, which limits the body’s ability to cool itself.”

So are older adults and people managing health conditions.

“Adults age 65 and older and those with chronic conditions have a reduced ability to cool themselves, and some medications impact temperature regulation,” Leary said.

For anyone who has to be outside, Leary’s advice is to plan ahead and ease off.

“To make outdoor activities safer in the heat, dress in lightweight, light-colored clothing that reflects heat and sunlight,” he said. “Drink plenty of water to replace fluids lost while sweating. Take frequent breaks in the shade or air-conditioned environments. Slow down and avoid strenuous activities, especially during the hottest time of the day, typically 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you must be outdoors, schedule activities for the cooler morning or evening hours.”

Leary said trouble in the heat builds in stages, and the earliest signals are easy to miss.

“Early signs of doing too much in the heat include feeling dizzy or lightheaded, feeling tired, and dry mouth or thirst,” he said. “Continuing to do too much may result in a heat cramp or muscle spasms, with heavy sweating, and fatigue or thirst.”

That can give way to heat exhaustion, with “cool, moist, pale, flushed or red skin, heavy sweating, headache, dizziness, weakness or exhaustion, and nausea or vomiting,” Leary said.

If those symptoms appear, he said, stop the activity and move somewhere cooler.

“If experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion, stop activity and move to a cooler place, preferably air-conditioned,” Leary said. “Drink small amounts of water or sports drinks. Remove unnecessary clothing. And call 911 if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness.”

The most serious stage is heat stroke, which can be fatal.

“If cooling does not take place, individuals may progress toward heat stroke, which can result in loss of consciousness and death,” Leary said. Warning signs include “changes in consciousness, decreased alertness or complete loss of consciousness, throbbing headache, confusion, a pulse that’s rapid and weak, breathing that’s rapid and shallow, vomiting, body temperature above 105 degrees Fahrenheit and seizures.”

Leary said the body can be trained to handle the heat, but it takes time — which makes a sudden stretch of extreme weather especially risky for anyone jumping straight into hard outdoor work or exercise.

“To prepare for hot weather activities, start with light walks in warm weather that produce a small amount of sweating,” he said. “That small exposure teaches your body to improve its cooling system. Over one to two weeks, gradually increase the duration and intensity of outdoor activities. This gives the body time to adapt to the heat, while reducing risks of fatigue or heat-related illnesses.”