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Eastern Jackson County, MO —
Sunday will be a good day to stay inside and take it easy.
In addition to a heat alert because of high temperatures of around 100 and a heat index of 105, an air quality alert has been posted for the Kansas City area.
Authorities advise minimizing driving, staying in the shade or staying indoors, and drinking plenty of water or other beverages without caffeine, alcohol or a lot of sugar. And putting off mowing the lawn will both lessen the risk of heat exhaustion and mean fewer pollutants that contribute to air-quality concerns.
The advisories are coming from two agencies, the National Weather Service and the Mid-America Regional Council.
The Weather Service says a blast of hot of air has moved into the area, and it forecasts highs around 100 for Sunday. Humidity readings will push the heat index to 105. The heat advisory is in effect from noon to 8 p.m.
A cold front is expected late in the evening, meaning a high of 89 Monday and low of 65 that evening, followed by 89/72 Tuesday. Then the heat comes back: 98/77 Wednesday, 99/79 Thursday and 96/73 Friday.
The Mid-America Regional Council tracks air quality concerns, specifically ground-level ozone, or smog, which can cause a range of breathing problems, especially for the young and those with conditions such as asthma. In warm weather months, MARC posts a daily air quality index – color coded: green, yellow, orange, red – to let people know when there's a potential problem. Sunday's orange rating is the second of the year. There hasn't been a red alert in Kansas City for several years.
The advice for residents regarding the heat advisory and air-quality warning is overlapping:
• Stay inside, where it's air conditioned or at least well ventilated. If outside, try to stay in the shade. Wear light, loose-fitting and light-colored clothing.
• Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks.
• Check on friends, family and neighbors who might be susceptible to the heat.
• Make sure any outdoor pets have shade and plenty of fresh water.
• If you must work outdoors, try to do it before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Take frequent breaks. Drink plenty of water.
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion, which is usually caused by a loss of bodily fluids due to excessive perspiration. Signs include cool, moist, pale or flushed skin, headache, heavy perspiration, nausea, dizziness, weakness and exhaustion. A person suffering from heat exhaustion should be moved to a cool place. Loosen their clothing, and apply moist towels or other moist cloths. Give small amounts of water – slowly. If the person refuses water, vomits or passes out, call 911.
Sunday will be a good day to stay inside and take it easy.
In addition to a heat alert because of high temperatures of around 100 and a heat index of 105, an air quality alert has been posted for the Kansas City area.
Authorities advise minimizing driving, staying in the shade or staying indoors, and drinking plenty of water or other beverages without caffeine, alcohol or a lot of sugar. And putting off mowing the lawn will both lessen the risk of heat exhaustion and mean fewer pollutants that contribute to air-quality concerns.
The advisories are coming from two agencies, the National Weather Service and the Mid-America Regional Council.
The Weather Service says a blast of hot of air has moved into the area, and it forecasts highs around 100 for Sunday. Humidity readings will push the heat index to 105. The heat advisory is in effect from noon to 8 p.m.
A cold front is expected late in the evening, meaning a high of 89 Monday and low of 65 that evening, followed by 89/72 Tuesday. Then the heat comes back: 98/77 Wednesday, 99/79 Thursday and 96/73 Friday.
The Mid-America Regional Council tracks air quality concerns, specifically ground-level ozone, or smog, which can cause a range of breathing problems, especially for the young and those with conditions such as asthma. In warm weather months, MARC posts a daily air quality index – color coded: green, yellow, orange, red – to let people know when there's a potential problem. Sunday's orange rating is the second of the year. There hasn't been a red alert in Kansas City for several years.
The advice for residents regarding the heat advisory and air-quality warning is overlapping:
• Stay inside, where it's air conditioned or at least well ventilated. If outside, try to stay in the shade. Wear light, loose-fitting and light-colored clothing.
• Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks.
• Check on friends, family and neighbors who might be susceptible to the heat.
• Make sure any outdoor pets have shade and plenty of fresh water.
• If you must work outdoors, try to do it before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Take frequent breaks. Drink plenty of water.
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion, which is usually caused by a loss of bodily fluids due to excessive perspiration. Signs include cool, moist, pale or flushed skin, headache, heavy perspiration, nausea, dizziness, weakness and exhaustion. A person suffering from heat exhaustion should be moved to a cool place. Loosen their clothing, and apply moist towels or other moist cloths. Give small amounts of water – slowly. If the person refuses water, vomits or passes out, call 911.
• Know the signs of heat stroke (also called sun stroke) – and recognize that it can be fatal. It means the body has lost its ability to regulate temperature. The skin is hot or red. Body temperature is high, the person vomits, and there can be varying levels of consciousness. Get the person to a cool place, treat the same as with heat exhaustion, and call 911.
• If you do work outdoors, avoid using lawnmowers and other gas-powered machinery. The fumes they put out contribute to air quality concerns. Authorities ask that the lawnmowing be postponed until there is no air quality alert. The color-coded rating is usually posted at mid-afternoon for the next day. Go to www.marc.org/
• Avoid filling your car with gas until at least sundown. The fumes released when fueling a vehicle mix with sunlight to create ozone.
As is happens, Sunday is the beginning of National Summer Weather Safety Week, which officials use to highlight the dangers of lightning, flash flooding and extreme heat. Nationwide, more than 200 people a year die from heat-related causes. In Missouri alone, about 30 people a year died from 1980 through 2010, but 2011 was particularly deadly with 47 deaths.
Officials remind urban and suburban residents that large cities create "heat islands." All of the buildings, streets and tar roofs collect heat during the day and release that heat at night, making urban areas several degrees warmer than rural areas at times. That in turn gives the air temperature a running start toward exces
sive highs the next day.
National Weather Service, Pleasant Hill: www.weather.gov/pleasanthill
