Scorching heat blamed for at least 13 deaths in Texas and another in Louisiana blanketed more of the Southeast on Wednesday, stretching government warnings of dangerous, triple-digit temperatures eastward into Mississippi and Tennessee.
Mid-week temperatures were forecast to surpass 100 degrees in much of the Southeast and high humidity was expected to push heat index values above 115 degrees in some areas.
Eleven of the Texas heat-related deaths occurred in Webb County, which includes Laredo. The dead ranged in age from 60 to 80 years old and many had underlying health conditions, according to Webb County Medical Examiner Dr. Corinne Stern, who said the level of heat in the county was unprecedented.
The area has a higher poverty rate than the state average and that compounds the suffering, Stern said.
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“The vast majority do not have air conditioning in their homes. They either have the fans off, or they have fans on but not proper ventilation,” Stern said. “There has been at least one or two that have air conditioning but don’t want to run it due to the bill.”
Two Florida hikers also died while hiking in extreme heat at Big Bend National Park.
The heat has prompted the U.S. Postal Service to allow earlier starting times for letter carriers, according to the National Association of Letter Carriers Lonestar Branch. This comes after the death of a Dallas letter carrier who died June 20 in near triple-digit heat. The cause of the carrier's death was still under investigation Wednesday.
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The unusually high temperatures were brought on by a heat dome that has taxed the Texas power grid and brought record highs to parts of the state, according to meteorologists.
That dome is spreading eastward and by the weekend is expected to be centered over the mid-South, said meteorologist Bryan Jackson with the National Weather Service in College Pak, Maryland.
Texas temperatures should then begin to drop from highs above 100 degrees to daily temperatures in the 90s, Jackson said.
“It's relief from the extreme heat,” Jackson said. “It's not really an end to a heat wave; it's just an end to the extreme part of the heat wave.”
Another dome of heat has already developed on the West Coast, and an excessive heat warning is in place in a wide swath in the central part of the state, according to Jackson.
HEAT SAFETY TIPS
With heat like this, you'll want to take precautions and be prepared.
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors to ensure they stay cool.
Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles. According to the National Safety Council, if it's 95 degrees outside the internal temperature of a car could climb to 129 degrees in 30 minutes. After just 10 minutes, temperatures inside could reach 114 degrees.
A child's body temperature heats up three to five times faster than an adult and heatstroke can begin when a person's core body temperature reaches 104 degrees. A core temperature of 107 degrees is lethal, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heatstroke is an emergency! Call 911. The CDC has more here on heat-related illnesses.
Take care of your pets by providing fresh, cool water and shade. Also, pets should not be left outside and unattended for too long. It's too hot and they need to be brought inside.
