Gary Archibald, Weathercaster

Heat is potentially a killer – to anyone and everyone exposed to an excessive amount of it and/or over a long duration of time.

The southwest region over the last 2 months has experienced some record heat – daytime temperatures in parts of southern Nevada, southwestern Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and southern California have exceeded records by a range of 1 to 16 degrees! With temperatures into the 120 to 130 range in desert country in the southwest, heat advisories have been issued on a regular basis by the National Weather Service in an effort to warn the public of the dangers of heat exposure. Further north, in the northern Plains, excessive heat is now a concern for residents of central and southern South Dakota and central North Dakota – daytime temperatures will likely exceed 100 degrees today. Pierre, SD will reach 106 for example – dangerous. Factor in the humidity and it will feel like 110+!! What has been the root cause of the heat in the west you ask? In the west, a strong ridge of high pressure primarily situated over the southwest, and at times in conjunction with a thermal low-pressure system situated over the southern region of California and /or northwestern Mexico, has pulled very warm tropical air from the south in a northerly trajectory. The ridge has been stubbornly entrenched for some time, hence reinforcing the injection of very warm air and extremely dry conditions.

From a physical health and wellness standpoint, without the necessary precautions, anyone (although the very young, old, and sick are especially vulnerable) can succumb to intense thermal energy.

Consider:
Hyperthermia (hyperpyrexia), in its advanced state referred to as heat stroke or sunstroke, is an acute condition which occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. It is usually due to excessive exposure to heat. The heat-regulating mechanisms of the body eventually become overwhelmed and unable to effectively deal with the heat, and body temperature climbs uncontrollably. This is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention.
Hyperthermia can be created artificially by drugs or medical devices. In these instances it may be used to treat cancer and other conditions. Malignant hyperthermia is a rare complication of some types of general anesthesia.
Hyperthermia is the opposite of hypothermia.
By the way, the excessive heat in the west has contributed to the extreme fire hazard – as of this blog entry, western Nebraska and western South Dakota are at an extreme risk because of the very dry and hot conditions. Wildfires have ravaged much of the country this year due to extreme drought conditions in the southeast and the scorching heat and high aridity in the west.

GA