The Vermont Department of Health is urging people to drink plenty of fluids, limit outdoor exercise and seek air conditioning where possible this week.
The state is in the midst of a spell of unusually hot and humid weather that the National Weather Service expects to stick around through Wednesday evening.
The service has issued a heat advisory for Tuesday afternoon, when temperatures are expected to hover around 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but will feel like the upper 90s.
“That level of heat affects anyone without effective cooling or adequate hydration,” said Conor Lahiff, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Burlington. “And that usually is when we start to see more heat-related illnesses pop up in the hospitals.”
The worst of the heat is forecast for the Champlain Valley, from Burlington south to Rutland.
More from the Vermont Department of Health:
- Find somewhere to cool off – indoors or in the water
- Know the signs and symptoms of heat illnesses
- Find tips on how to stay safe when it’s hot outside
- Find tips for preparing a home or workplace for hot weather
Overnight lows are forecast to stay in the mid-70s, coupled with continued high humidity — which won’t offer much relief, Lahiff said.
He said these hot summer nights are part of a longer trend in Vermont and nationwide, due to human-caused climate change.
“The nighttime lows are warming dramatically across the entire United States but also particularly in New England,” Lahiff said. “This summer has been no exception. We've not had a lot of days where we've cooled off tremendously during the night, especially over the last month and a half or so."
According to the Northeast Regional Climate Center, all of Vermont has seen above average temperatures this July.
The weather service said Vermonters doing flood recovery work should take extra care to monitor themselves and others for signs of heat exhaustion. And drink lots of water — making sure that water is safe if it's not bottled. Additionally, the health department said working in groups of two or more people is a good way to make sure someone is always around to monitor you for signs of heat exhaustion.
Jared Ulmer, who manages the climate and health program at the Vermont Department of Health, said spending some time in a public cooling center or cool basement can also help your body recover from heat exposure.
Additionally, Ulmer urged people to use caution when seeking cold water to cool off in. He said rivers are running from last week’s storms and from rainfall this week. It will take time for debris, bacteria and contaminants to dissipate.
Ulmer said it’s a good time to swim in a pool or use a splash pad if that option is available to you.
A chance of ‘normal summer thunderstorms’
The National Weather Service is also forecasting a chance of strong to severe thunderstorms between 1 and 9 p.m. Tuesday. Meteorologists there said they fall into the category of “normal summer thunderstorms,” in contrast with what hit the state last week.
There is a slight risk of some isolated mild flash flooding in the Middlebury area and Addison County, but Lahiff said there are no indications it would be anywhere near the scale of impact seen last week.
Another big difference: Lahiff said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NWS are not expecting any rivers to rise to flood stage, as they did last week across northern and central Vermont.
The National Weather Service is forecasting cooler, drier temperatures starting Thursday and going into the weekend.
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