NEW ORLEANS — The heat is on in Southeast Louisiana and WWL-TV Meteorologist Dave Nussbaum says it’s all thanks to a ridge of high pressure.
“There’s one in the upper level atmosphere like where the airplanes fly and we have another one at the surface and they’re sitting right over top of us and when you get that, you have sinking air,” Nussbaum explained.
That sinking air helped usher in a record 99 degrees Saturday. When you throw humidity on top of that, heat indicis are well into the triple digits.
“When you have so much moisture in the atmosphere like we do down there and you get all that heat on top of it, it just makes it so oppressive that your bodies can’t take,” Nussbaum said.
“I think staying out of the direct heat or the direct sunlight is important,” said Dr. Brobson Lutz, health spokesman with the Orleans Parish Medical Society.
Under that type of heat, Dr. Lutz says folks need to be cautious.
“Heat can have a tremendous affect on people, especially people chronic disease and older people,” Dr. Lutz said.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion can include feeling faint or dizzy, excessive sweating, clammy skin, nausea, a weak pulse and muscle cramps. When it comes to a heat stroke, which Dr. Lutz says is the most dangerous heat related illness, be aware of throbbing headaches, a lack of sweating, hot skin, a high body temperature, a rapid pulse and loss of consciousness. Dr. Lutz says
“The most important thing you can do to prevent heat related disorders is stay in the air conditioning,” Dr. Lutz said.
If you’re going to be outside tough, make sure to drink plenty of water and take breaks. Also, don’t forget about pets. They can be impacted just as much as humans. While some of the oppressive heat is expected to taper off a bit through the weekend, Nussbaum expects high temperatures to stick around through the middle of the week.
“As we head on in to Monday, we’ll still feel about 100 to 115. We’ll continue seeing that on in to Tuesday afternoon as well,” Nussbaum said.
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