Extreme heat advisory issued for Yuma County

Triple-digit temperatures that sent area residents to the hospital with heat-related illness will linger Tuesday and then fall as part of a cooling trend beginning Wednesday, according to forecasts.

Tuesday's high is expected to reach 109, down from Monday's record-settling 113, according to AccuWeather.com, The Sun's weather provider.

The temperatures on Monday prompted an extreme heat advisory Monday for Yuma County, where temperatures typically rise into the mid-90s in mid-May.

Excessive heat warnings are issued whenever temperatures reach dangerous levels that stress the body if precautions are not taken, the National Weather Service Web site said.

AccuWeather meteorologist Carl Erickson said an excessive heat warning has also already been issued for Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

"It's still going to be hot," Erickson said.

But winds will begin picking up in what is an indication of a change in the weather pattern, he said.

"A very large area of high pressure has kept the jet stream aimed up north and prevented any cool air from coming down here," Erickson said. "When the wind picks up, the high pressure is going to weaken and be pushed off to the east."

Winds from the southwest of 10 to 20 mph are expected Tuesday with possible gusts of 30 mph or more on Wednesday, Accuweather meteorologist Tom Kines added.

"The good news is, there will be a break in the heat coming midweek, if not Wednesday then Thursday," Kines said.

Wednesday's high is expected to be in the low 90s, and then temperatures are expected to drop Thursday and Friday into the low 80s, about 10 to 15 degrees below the average.

"It's going to be a pretty significant cool down compared to what we have been experiencing," Erickson said. "We don't expect to see that kind of heat again for a while."

The longer range trends, Erickson added, indicate that temperatures will remain average or below average for a while.

There is zero percent chance of showers until Friday when there will be a 20 percent chance.

Yuma Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Shay Andres said she spoke with an emergency room physician, Dr. Matt Dickson, on Monday afternoon who told her the hospital has seen an increase in the number of heat-related illnesses the past couple of days. She did not have statistics.

"(Dr. Dickson) really encourages people to drink lots of water and stay out of the sun whenever possible," Andres said.

Erickson said the heat wave, which began on Sunday, brought near record-temperatures to most of Arizona.

The previous record high in Yuma for Monday's date was 106, which was set back in 1986.

"We should have no problem breaking that record," Erickson said Monday. "There will one more day to go after Monday."

---

William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858. James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.

American Red Cross Heat Safety Tips ...

• Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun’s energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella.

• Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body.

• Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid high-protein foods, which increase metabolic heat.

• Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.

• Stay indoors when possible.

• Be a good neighbor. During heat waves, check in on elderly residents in your neighborhood and those who do not have air conditioning.

Know What These Heat-Related Terms Mean ...

• Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. They usually involve the abdominal muscles or the legs. It is generally thought that the loss of water and salt from heavy sweating causes the cramps.

• Heat exhaustion: Heat exhaustion is less dangerous than heat stroke. It typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a warm, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Fluid loss causes blood flow to decrease in the vital organs, resulting in a form of shock. With heat exhaustion, sweat does not evaporate, as it should, possibly because of high humidity or too many layers of clothing. As a result, the body is not cooled properly. Signals include cool, moist, pale or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal.

• Heat stroke: Also known as sunstroke, heat stroke is life threatening. The victim’s temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signals include hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high - sometimes as high as 105 F.

Source: American Red Cross

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals offers these tips for the care of dogs:

• Keep dogs inside, Unlike humans, dogs do not sweat, and they can only expel hot air by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress and be physically damaging or fatal.

• If dogs must be left outside, they should be supplied with ample water and shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun during a heat wave can have life-threatening consequences.

• In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by cycling while they try to keep up or running them while jogging. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point it may be too late to seek help.

• Never leave a dog in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods and even with the windows slightly open.

• Dogs' pads easily burn on heated asphalt and pavement and sand.

• Never transport dogs in the bed of a pick-up truck. Aside from the risk of dogs being thrown from a truck bed on a sudden stop, hot weather leads to burned feet and bellies from the hot metal.