Beat the Heat: Extreme Heat

What is Extreme Heat?

Extreme heat describes temperatures that are much hotter (and maybe more humid) than average. Generally, this means temperatures above 90 degrees that last more than 2 days (Ready.gov). Humid and muggy air can make it feel even hotter than it really is.

Extreme heat also causes stagnant air, leading to higher air pollution and lower air quality. Navigating poor air quality requires taking more precautions beyond what’s included in this blog post.

Enter your zip code here to get the HeatRisk for this week.

Heat-Related Illness

Heat-related illness happens when a person’s body temperature rises faster than it can cool itself down. Many factors can increase your body temperature during extreme heat, including:

  • Dehydration

  • Living and working in spaces without air conditioning

  • Intense physical activity

Who is Most Affected by Heat-Related Illness?

The following groups are most likely to experience a heat-related illness during high temperatures.

  • People who work outside, kids, and athletes are more likely to be physically active for long periods of time when it is hot outside.

  • Babies, young kids, and pets rely on caregivers to keep them in safe temperatures during extreme heat.

  • Adults aged 60 years and older do not adjust as well to sudden temperature changes as younger people.

  • People without air-conditioned houses or cars are less equipped to maintain a safe temperature in their living spaces. Likewise, many people who work in places without air conditioning do high-energy tasks in extreme temperatures. For example, many factories, warehouses, and delivery vehicles do not have air conditioning.

  • People in hotter parts of the country are exposed to extreme heat more frequently than others.

  • People with chronic health conditions can be less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature and more likely to take prescription medicines that impact how their body regulates its temperature and sweat.

  • People with reduced mobility and people with limited access to transportation are less able to travel to an air-conditioned location.

  • Pregnant people’s bodies must work harder to cool themselves and their baby. Pregnancy can also cause dehydration, which increases the risk of heat-related illness.

How Can I Prepare for Extreme Heat?

  • Drink water throughout the day

  • Take cool showers or baths to lower your body temperature

  • Use an air conditioner to cool your home, if possible.

    • If your home does not have air conditioning, you can cover windows with drapes or shades, and add weatherproofing strips around windows to keep in cool air. Close your windows when it’s hotter outside than inside. If it’s cooler outside, consider opening the windows and turning on an exhaust fan or window fan, which will help remove hot air and replace it with cooler air.

    • You can also go to a cooling center. Find the closest one to you by clicking here

  • Stay indoors when possible.

  • Check on neighbors, older people, or loved ones who might not be prepared for extreme heat but might be at higher risk for heat-related illness.

  • If you are outside, find shade and wear loose-fitted, lightweight, and light-colored clothing. Wear a hat to cover your face and head. Wear sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher and UVA/UVB (broad spectrum) protection. Don’t forget to reapply every 2 hours!

  • Pay attention to the weather forecast and heat advisories. CDC’s HeatRisk map is one tool that provides local heat risk information to keep you and others safe.

Other Information About Extreme Heat

  • In 2023, 34 Missouri residents, ranging in age from 11 months to 96 years, died due to heat-related illness. To report a senior citizen or an adult with disabilities who is in need of assistance due to the heat, call the state's toll-free abuse and neglect hotline at 1-800-392-0210, or make a report online.

  • Never leave a child or pet alone in a vehicle. The temperature inside a vehicle can rise by 20 degrees in 10 minutes and can be deadly to anyone left inside.

  • Find a cooling center. Find the closest one to you by clicking here.

Sources: Extreme heat, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)



Sarah Valenza