Is Tennessee under the heat dome? How to stay cool and safe in high temps
Tennessee's first taste of summer weather has been a scorcher and the heat wave will continue to impact the state through the week.
The Northeast, the Midwest and some communities in the South, will bear the brunt of this heat wave as millions experience extreme temperatures in their area and push toward 100 degrees by the end of the week. Communities from Texas to Maine, including communities in Tennessee, are expected to experience a stretch of 90+ degree days this week, according to a National Weather Service heat risk map.
This heat wave has sparked questions about if a heat dome is causing significant temperatures even before the first official day of summer and is also raising concerns about health issues that can happen during the extreme heat. Here's everything you need to know about the heat and staying safe this week.
What is a 'heat dome'?
A heat dome isn't technically a scientific term and is a fairly new term that has gained popularity in recent years. It is a condition that occurs when a persistent region of high pressure traps heat over a certain area for a period of time, according to the American Meteorological Society.
The northern part of Tennessee is right on the edge of the dome that has settled over much of the Northeast and Midwest.
What is a heat wave?
A heat wave is a period of abnormally hot weather generally lasting more than two days, according to the National Weather Service.
Heat waves and climate change
The heat isn't something new.
In the last 12 months, the Earth has made records of how hot it has been and that's not something good. What's the main driver of this record warmth?
There are many factors that can contribute to the heating of the Earth like El Ni?os and La Ni?as, volcanic eruptions, changes in the human and natural emissions of aerosols, and solar activity from our sun, but in the end it comes down to human-caused climate change, according to USA Today reports and interviews with climate scientists.
"The primary reason for this remarkable stretch of record-breaking warmth around the world is due to human-caused climate change," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Zachary Labe told USA TODAY in an email.
What is a heat advisory?
The National Weather Service will issue a heat advisory usually happens when extremely dangerous heat is about to hit and is one of several types of health alerts issued by the federal agency. A heat advisory is issued within 12 hours of the onset of these conditions.
Heat related illnesses: Heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke
With temperatures soaring toward the triple digits in areas of Tennessee, people need to be cautious when being outside in the heat, especially very young and older people.
Extreme heat makes it difficult for the body to keep its temperature in a normal range and can cause a number of conditions. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are both possibilities when people are outside during high heat. Here are the differences according to the CDC:
Heat exhaustion symptoms
Headache
Nausea
Dizziness
Weakness
Irritability
Thirst
Heavy sweating
Elevated body temperature
Decreased urine output
Treatment for heat exhaustion:
Move person to a cooler environment, preferably a well-air-conditioned room.
Loosen their clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, or have the person sit in a cool bath.
Offer them sips of water.
Seek immediate medical attention if the person vomits, symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour.
Heat stroke symptoms
Confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech
Loss of consciousness (coma)
Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
Seizures
Very high body temperature
Treatment for heat stroke:
Call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately. Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency. Delay in treatment can be fatal.
Move the person to a cooler, preferably air-conditioned, environment.
Reduce body temperature with cool cloth or bath.
Use fan if heat index temperatures are below the high 90s. A fan can make you hotter at higher temperatures.
Do not give fluids.
Tennessee heat index map
What was the hottest day in Tennessee?
According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the two hottest days on record for Tennessee occurred less than two weeks apart in 1930. Perryville, Tenn., hit a high of 113 degrees on July 29, 1930, and August 9, 1930.
Cheryl McCloud and USA Today contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee heat wave: Temperatures above 90 this week, heat safety