'Louisiana has never seen a summer like this' as 9 more die from heat-related illness

Louisiana's hottest summer on record has killed 25 people so far with the state health department reporting nine new heat-related deaths in the past two weeks and no relief in sight.

"Louisiana has never seen a summer like this before," said Ben Schott, the lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service's New Orleans Station. "I feel confident in saying we are going to shatter the record for the hottest summer recorded. It's pretty stunning."

There have been 4,766 heat-related emergency department visits in Louisiana since April 1, almost double the average for an entire year, according to the state health agency.

Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Aug. 14 that will remain in place through Sept. 9. Edwards’ declaration followed Louisiana Fire Marshal Dan Wallis and Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain issuing a statewide burn ban that remains in effect.

Edwards took to social media Tuesday to remind Louisianans to be vigilant about heeding burn bans as wildfires flared throughout the state.

"This is an extremely urgent and serious situation," Edwards tweeted. "Louisiana needs your help."

Schott said some Louisiana cities will exceed their summer heat records by as many as 3 degrees.

"That may not sound like much, but in a scientific sense that's like losing a football game by 100 points," he said. "If you live in Louisiana you're experiencing a summer like no one has since records have been kept back to the 1800s."

For example, Baton Rouge's average temperature so far this summer is 87.6 degrees (taking the mid-point of the average daily highs and lows). The previous Baton Rouge record for a full summer was 84.6 degrees in 2011.

Shreveport is suffering its second hottest summer on record at 86.5 degrees with the record 88.3 degrees in 2011.

New Orleans' 2023 summer average is 86.9 degrees, the hottest on record, while Lafayette is averaging 87.7 degrees, exceeding the previous record of 85.2 degrees set in 2011.

"Looking ahead, we don't really have any cool days forecast for the rest of August, so I don't expect those averages to drop," Schott said.

The Louisiana Department of Health plans to launch a dashboard tracking heat-related illnesses and deaths in specific regions in the coming days.

Of the 25 heat-related deaths, 22 are men and three are women. Twelve of the people who died were 65 and older, six were ages 50-64 and seven were ages 30-49.

“Every life lost to a heat-related cause is tragic, and it is a reminder that excessive heat can carry dangerous health consequences,” said Health Secretary Stephen Russo. “It is critical that everyone in Louisiana take precautions during extreme heat events, especially workers in physically demanding occupations who are frequently outdoors.

"Heat-related illness and death are preventable, and I encourage Louisiana residents to know the signs of heat-related illness, stay indoors with air conditioning if possible, and remember to hydrate, rest and stay in the shade if they must be outdoors. They should also check on their neighbors, and loved ones, especially those who are elderly.”

More: Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards issues heat emergency; burn ban remains in place

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. 

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana's hottest summer on record has killed 9 more in last 2 weeks