D.C., we are officially in the middle of a heatwave. The weather reports say weather will range from 90 to 102 from now until Friday, where we will finally see a dip in the heat. Over the next few days:
- Monday: 98 with a heat index of up to 110 due to humidity.
- Tuesday: 102
- Wednesday: 100
- Thursday: 97
- Friday: 84 degrees! Finally
While we’ll be grateful for cooler weather at the end of the week, it’s unfortunate that it’s being brought in by thunderstorms that will start on Thursday, June 26th and continue until July 1st.
Here are tips for staying cool during an extreme heatwave, especially for those most a risk like pregnant women, children, the elderly, the unhoused, and outdoor workers.
Tips for Staying Safe in a Heatwave
- Keep an emergency kit at home that contains oral rehydration salt (ORS) packets, a thermometer, water bottles, towels or cloths to wet for cooling, a handheld fan or mister with batteries, and a checklist to identify and treat symptoms of heat stress.
- Close the curtains during the hottest part of the day
- Open windows at night to cool the house
- Use fans and coolers if available
- Try to avoid being outside at the hottest point of the day
- Wear your sunscreen and protect your eyes and heads with sunglasses and hats
- Drink water at regular intervals
- Wear light colors, loose clothes, and natural materials like cotton or linen
- Don’t let children play outside for too long unsupervised.
- Sleep on lower parts of the house if possible
Signs of Heatstroke
- High body tempearture
- Disoriented or confused
- Nauseau
- Rapid breathing
- Reduced heart rate
- High body temperature
In these circumstances, it’s important to reduce temperature, rehydrate, and cool them down and got to the hospital if severe.
If children has signs of heatstroke:
- DO NOT immerse infants and young children into very cold water.
- DO NOT point the fan at the face, especially infants.
- DO NOT give paracetamol/acetaminophen without advice from your health provider
Where Can You Go To Beat the Heat?
According to the Washington Post, once the heat index hits 95, cooling centers will open. You can keep track of the notifications and announcements through the official Twitter/x account and AlertDC (which you can also get sent to your phone if you sign up.
Over 100 locations have been announced as cooling centers, from libraries to senior wellness centers, and they’ve updated an interactive map to show all of the locations here. All spray parks will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, with all locations listed here. There’s also public swimming pools, which will be busy but are available if you need them. The full list is here.