‘Feels-like’ temps could reach 112 degrees. The latest details on South Florida’s excessive heat.
Conditions are ripe for excessive heat in South Florida this week — with feels-like temps reaching as high as 112 degrees, and it’ll stay that way through Friday, meteorologists warned Wednesday.
A heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service lasts through Friday evening, and extends across all of South Florida, from Palm Beach to Miami-Dade counties. It also stretches west to Immokalee, Naples and Everglades City.
The heat indices are forecast to be in the 105-112 range in the afternoon over the next several days, or conditions that could lead to dangerous exhaustion and potentially deadly heat stroke due to prolonged exposure.
The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, combines the actual temperature with relative humidity and tells you what the temperature feels like. When it’s extremely humid out, the human body cannot cool itself effectively with sweat, and thus feels hotter.
For example, with relatively humidity at 40%, 90-degree air temperature feels like 91 degrees. With relative humidity at 100%, 90-degree air temperature feels like 132 degrees.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating; cold and clammy skin; fast, weak pulse; dizziness; vomiting and fainting.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest moving to a cooler location, cooling off with wet cloths or cool bath and sipping water. You should seek medical attention if you are vomiting or the symptoms last longer than an hour.
Heat-stroke symptoms include a body temperature higher than 103 degrees; hot dry or damp skin; fast, strong pulse; nausea; confusion; passing out. The CDC suggests calling 911 right away; moving the person to a cooler place, lowering the person’s body temperature with cool cloths or a cool bath; not giving the person anything to drink.