Heatandhumidity will make it feel about 100 degrees today in CT, weather service says
Jul. 28—Heat advisories remain in effect across Connecticut. The governor's office earlier this week also directed the activation of the state's extreme hot weather protocol through 8 a.m. Sunday. The decision allows state and local officials to coordinate the opening of cooling centers aimed at helping vulnerable residents who don't have access to air-conditioning.
The weather service called the extended heat event the "hottest air mass of the season," and warned it could lead to heat-related illness. The hot weather in the Northeast comes as several U.S. states are facing record temperatures this summer. Scientists have already classified this July as the hottest on record worldwide.
"Heat has a clear connection to increased risk for really bad things happening in terms of heart disease," said Dr. Eric Alter, a non-invasive cardiologist with Cardiology Associates of Fairfield County at St. Vincent's Medical Center. He said studies estimate that days of extreme heat cause around 600-700 deaths each year from cardiovascular causes.
On hot days, your body is actively trying to cool itself off, Alter explained. "It's sending more blood up to the skin and dilated blood vessels to try to cool off."
As a result, he said, the heart tries to beat stronger and faster "in an effort to keep up with everything."
"And this is also kind of compromised by the fact that at higher body temperatures, your body is kind of just working harder to stay cool," he added.
Alter said people should make sure they stay hydrated and avoid the outdoors during the hottest times of the day. Dress properly for the heat by wearing lightweight and light-colored clothing that's breathable. If you do go outside, be sure to take breaks, he said.
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Low-flying NASA plane seen over Connecticut sniffs the air
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NWS: Heat index values above 100 today in CT may trigger storms
"Before you go outside, you should start hydrating," he added. "Once you're outside, you should be drinking water periodically. Even if you don't feel thirsty, you should be drinking water. And then once you come in from being outside, you should be drinking water."
Several strong storms in Connecticut on Thursday caused some damage but provided no reprieve from the heat. Most of the power outages had been restored by Friday morning.
Eversource, the state's largest electrical utility, reported 1,275 outages statewide as of around 6 a.m. Friday. The number included 986 outages reported in Marlborough. It was not clear if all were weather-related. United Illuminating, which serves the greater Bridgeport and New Haven areas, reported just four customers without power.
By around 12:15 p.m., Eversource reported 168 outages statewide, while UI reported 205 outages, all in Shelton.
In Newington, a Connecticut State Police trooper and K-9 had to be rescued after a tree fell on their car at the Cedar Street Fastrack Station, state police said. The collision rendered the cruiser's doors inoperable, but neither was injured in the incident, the agency said.
After the storms, sunny weather is expected in Connecticut today with highs rising into the low 90s.
Heat index values — the measure of what the air temperature feels like from the combined heat and humidity — will be between 95 and 100 degrees in most places.
"The heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities," the weather service said in a briefing Friday morning.
"The folks that have long standing or significant health issues like respiratory issues, COPD, asthma, congestive heart failure, or heart problems need to be really careful in the heat," said Dr. Kenneth Robinson, chief of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Hartford Hospital. Those over 65 are also at risk in the heat, he said.
People who work outdoors should also plan to schedule breaks more frequently than they normally do, he said, as well as drinking plenty of fluids — two to four glasses of water per hour. Workers should also try to avoid things that might put them at risk, like working on a roof for an extended period of time.
"They may get lightheaded or dizzy; if they get too hot or dehydrated, then it becomes a safety issue also, not just a heat-related issue," Robinson said.
"Infants and children up to 4 years of age are a particular risk because they may not be able to tell you that they're overheating," he said. He said parents should watch for changes in behavior.
"If they do start seeing a change in behavior in their child, they should try to get them as much fluid as possible, and they might need to seek medical attention at that point," he said.
The hot sunny weather is also producing heightened amounts of ground-level ozone, which can be an irritant when it's in the air people breathe. The smog forms when pollutants in the air from cars, machinery, chemicals and other sources react with sunlight.
Ozone levels are expected to reach levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups in several municipalities today, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Those are Greenwich, Groton, Madison, New Haven, Stratford and Westport. Levels of ozone at other cities around the state are expected to be moderate.
Saturday will see partly sunny to mostly cloudy skies, with temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s, and heat index values again ranging from 95 to 100.
A cold front moving into the region will finally bring relief from the heat Saturday, but is expected to produce scattered strong to severe thunderstorms Saturday and Saturday night. Sunday will see highs only reach the upper 70s to low 80s, with sunny skies and a slight chance of showers.
