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...HEAT - A WEATHER HAZARD OF SUMMER...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES AND THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
COMMUNITY IN VERMONT AND NEW YORK ARE JOINING FORCES TO DESIGNATE
TODAY AS HEAT AWARENESS DAY IN VERMONT AND NEW YORK. THIS JOINT
DESIGNATION IS TO BRING AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH DANGERS THAT CAN BE
ASSOCIATED WITH EXCESSIVE HEAT AND OFFER SOME SOLUTIONS TO PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM THE HEAT.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CATEGORIZES A HOT DAY WHEN TEMPERATURES
REACH 90 DEGREES OR WARMER. IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY...WE AVERAGE SIX
SUCH DAYS A YEAR. SINCE 1883...THERE HAVE BEEN OVER A DOZEN YEARS
THAT THE MERCURY HAS NOT REACHED 90 DEGREES...THE LATEST YEARS BEING
2000 AND 2004. MEANWHILE...THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE TOP YEARS
WITH THE MOST NUMBER OF 90 DEGREE OR WARMER DAYS.
# DAYS AT OR ABOVE 90 DEGREES YEAR
26 1949
21 1944
20 1988
18 1999,1995
A HEAT WAVE IS DEFINED AS THREE OR MORE CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITH THE
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHING OR EXCEEDING 90 DEGREES. IN BURLINGTON,
THE LONGEST HEAT WAVE WAS 8 DAYS (AUGUST 10-17, 1944). IN 2011...THERE
WAS ONE HEAT WAVE IN BURLINGTON...JULY 21ST-23RD WITH TEMPERATURES OF
97...95 AND 93 RESPECTIVELY.
TOO MUCH HEAT CAN LEAD TO HEALTH DISORDERS SUCH AS HEAT CRAMPS...
HEAT EXHAUSTION...HEAT STROKE AND EVEN DEATH. ANNUALLY...THE AVERAGE
NUMBER OF HEAT RELATED DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES IS APPROXIMATELY
160.
THEREFORE...WHEN LIFE THREATENING EXCESSIVE HEAT IS EXPECTED...THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL ISSUE EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCHES...WARNINGS
AND ADVISORIES TO ALERT THE PUBLIC ON THE POTENTIAL DANGERS.
THE GROUPS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE DANGERS OF HEAT ARE THE
ELDERLY...VERY YOUNG...THOSE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS AND THOSE ON
CERTAIN MEDICATIONS.
HEAT RELATED HEALTH DISORDERS ARE CAUSED BY THE BODY'S INABILITY TO
DISSIPATE THE HEAT...OR IN OTHER WORDS...COOL DOWN.
HERE ARE SOME SAFETY TIPS TO BEST COPE WITH THE DANGERS OF HEAT:
.WEAR LIGHTWEIGHT...LIGHT COLORED CLOTHING.
.DRINK PLENTY OF WATER OR NON-ALCOHOLIC FLUIDS.
.SLOW DOWN...TAKE IT EASY...STRENUOUS ACTIVITY SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
.IF YOU MUST BE OUTSIDE...TRY TO LESSEN YOUR EXPOSURE AND LIMIT
YOUR ACTIVITIES TO THE EARLY MORNING OR LATE EVENING...FIND
SHADE...AN AIR-CONDITIONED LOCATION...SWIMMING POOL OR ANY BODY OF
WATER.
.NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN OR PETS UNATTENDED IN A VEHICLE.
.REMEMBER...YOUR PETS WILL FEEL THE HEAT AS WELL. PROVIDE YOUR PETS
WITH PLENTY OF COOL WATER AND KEEP THEM IN A COOL OR SHADED
ENVIRONMENT.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...PLEASE CHECK NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
WEB SITE AT: WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OM/HEAT.
THE SUMMER SEASON IN THE NORTH COUNTRY IS RELATIVELY SHORT...SO LET'S
MAKE IT ENJOYABLE AND SAFE WHEN IT COMES TO SUMMER'S HEAT.
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weather.gov 
