Temperatures in metro Detroit this week will be so hot it could make you seriously ill
Temperatures approaching 100 degrees are expected to cook the Midwest and head into the Northeast this week, leading weather forecasters, federal agencies, local utilities and even Michigan’s governor to issue dire warnings and suggestions on how to keep cool and safe.
"Make sure you have a way to cool off, if you are outside," said Brian Cromwell, a National Weather Service meteorologist in What Lake Township. "And, obviously, any activities that can be done indoors, probably should be done indoors."
In metro Detroit, high temperatures Tuesday are expected to reach the low to mid-90s, with a heat index — what it feels like outside with humidity — reaching 100. It'll be even hotter Wednesday, with temperatures in the mid- to high-90s and a heat index of 102.
A heat advisory was issued Tuesday for all of southeast Michigan, and a heat warning, the highest alert level, in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Genesee counties, where concrete tends to hold in the heat, even overnight. The warning, the weather service said, means its will be so hot that if you aren't careful you may become seriously ill — or die.
Various outdoor events in metro Detroit, such as yoga at Marks Park in Royal Oak, have been postponed, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an agency focused on workplace concerns, warned businesses that they are responsible for protecting their employees from heat-related hazards.
The alerts, which the weather service have been making for days, are hardly a surprise, but also hardly something to take lightly: Extreme heat and humidity is one of the leading weather-related killers in America, annually taking hundreds of lives.
The sweltering — and potentially record — heat, just days before the astronomical start of summer on Thursday, is expected to last the rest the rest of the week, sparking concern among national weather service experts and scientists, who are increasingly worried about climate change.
The high temperatures, which are more normal for late July than June, are expected to last until Sunday.
The stifling temperatures, forecasters said, are being caused, in part, by what meteorologists call a heat dome, a kind of oven-like situation in which high-pressure atmospheric conditions trap hot stagnant air in a wide swath of America.
Weather forecasting maps show the dome covering an area where caution and extreme caution warnings have been issued — temperatures that feel like its 80-103 degrees — that covers the edge of Minnesota to Massachusetts and the tip of Maine to Florida, with parts of southern Texas getting dangerous heat, feeling as hot as 125 degrees.
In Michigan, those in danger should call 211, a crisis help line to get information on where they can go to cool off, or call 911 for medical attention, if they experience a throbbing headache, confusion, nausea, dizziness, rapid pulse, faint or lose consciousness.
More than 2,300 deaths
Unusually hot summer temperatures have become more common and more intense, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is a result, some scientists have concluded, of human-caused climate change.
Last month, an examination of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data by the Associated Press found more than 2,300 death certificates that mentioned the effects of excessive heat, the highest number in the 45 years of records.
The news outlet reported more than two dozen doctors, public health experts, and meteorologists said that last year’s figure was only a fraction of the actual death toll. Based on record-breaking heat nationwide in May, the report speculated this year could be even deadlier.
What’s more, the intense heat, forecasters have said, can bring intense showers, which can knock out power, making it more difficult to keep cool as well as more challenging for utility workers toiling in the baking sun to reconnect lines.
Tuesday afternoon, DTE reported about 3,600 customers without power, and Consumers Energy, 5,700.
Among tips to keep your home cool without overloading the grid: DTE urged setting your thermostat at 78 degrees, which may be a little higher than you are used to; using fans to keep air moving; and dialing up the thermostat a few degrees more when you leave.
Also, you can draw your shades to keep the sun rays out.
And save money by cooling the house before temperatures outside get too hot, run the dryer and dish washer at night when it is cooler, avoid using the oven by grilling outdoors or making no-cook meals, and be aware that the peak electricity hours, when power is most expensive, is 3-7 p.m.
Heat tips: How to stay safe, cool as metro Detroit braces for possible 100-degree temperatures
Whitmer: 'Spend time indoors'
Even the governor got in on the warnings this week.
"As temperatures rise, it’s important to take precautions to keep yourself and your loved ones safe, especially the elderly and those with health conditions," Whitmer wrote in an email to residents that included several common-sense tips, such as "spend time indoors in air conditioning."
An increased risk of heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion that, if not treated, can lead to heat stroke — and death. In addition to the unseasonably hot temperatures, the humidity is expected make it fee even hotter.
Health department suggestions to help prevent these risks included: limiting outdoor activities, wearing lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, slather on sunscreen, drinking more water to prevent dehydration and avoid sugary and alcoholic drinks.
In addition to the elderly, other vulnerable populations included children and pets.
Safety experts warned not to leave either — or for that matter, mobile phones — in hot cars, and make sure they are hydrated and playing indoors or in the shade. And labored breathing in dogs could be a sign of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
"Let’s work together to support each other through this heatwave," Whitmer said in her email, a reminder to look out for neighbors and others who might not have air conditioning — or, after the storms, electricity. The stress of if all can not just make you feel hot, but also take a toll on your mental health as well.
And the governor ended her email with a clever close to "stay cool."
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com. Free Press reporter Jenna Prestininzi contributed.
Cooling centers
If you're looking for a place to escape the heat, Detroit has cooling centers available at multiple locations throughout the city. Detroit's seven cooling centers open amid city-declared heat emergencies, and operating days and hours may be extended, according to the city's website.
Adams Butzel Complex, 10500 Lyndon: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday)
Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval Avenue: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday
Clemente Recreation Center, 2631 Bagley; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
Farwell Recreation Center, 2711 E. Outer Drive: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday
Lasky Recreation Center, 13200 Fenelon: 12 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
Patton Recreation Center, 2301 Woodmere: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
Kemeny Recreation Center, 2260 S. Fort: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
Crowell Recreation Center, 16630 Lahser: 1-9 p.m. Monday through Friday
Heilmann Recreation Center, 19601 Crusade: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
There are also several cooling centers and charging stations opening within the city of Westland:
Adams Butzel Complex, 10500 Lyndon: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday)
Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval Avenue: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday
Clemente Recreation Center, 2631 Bagley; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
Farwell Recreation Center, 2711 E. Outer Drive: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday
Lasky Recreation Center, 13200 Fenelon: 12 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
Patton Recreation Center, 2301 Woodmere: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
Kemeny Recreation Center, 2260 S. Fort: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
Crowell Recreation Center, 16630 Lahser: 1-9 p.m. Monday through Friday
Heilmann Recreation Center, 19601 Crusade: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Metro Detroit weather forecast: 'Heat dome' brings extreme temps
