WCCO EYE4 LOGO WCCO Radio

Minnesota Weather

Severe Weather

Current Watches and Warnings

More Maps

Mississippi, Grenada

Public Information Statement

Statement as of 7:00 AM CDT on May 24, 2013


today is National heat safety awareness day. Heat is a major weather
killer. According to the ten year National average, heat causes more
weather fatalities than lightning, tornadoes and flooding. Some of
the bigger heatwaves in history have claimed hundreds of lives. In
2012, there were 155 deaths nationwide from heat, and in the last 10
years, there have been 117 deaths on average. The most vulnerable
groups to heat are the elderly, the Young and our pets. Following a
few simple precautions, you can greatly reduce your risk of getting
a heat related illness or disorder. The first step is knowing some
heat terms.

A common heat term heard in the south during the Summer is heat
index. The heat index is an apparent temperature, or a measure of
how hot it feels when the humidity is added to the air temperature.
The hotter the temperature and higher the humidity, the higher the
heat index. When the heat index reaches greater than 105 degrees
and overnight lows do not drop below the mid 70s, then a heat
advisory will be issued. Likewise, when the heat index reaches
greater than 110 degrees for two consecutive days or more and the
overnight temperatures do no drop below the mid 70s, then an
excessive heat warning is issued.

As the temperature and heat index rise, so does the likelihood for
heat disorders. Heat disorders occur when your body is unable to
shed heat either by circulatory changes or sweating. Heat disorders
can range from sunburn to heat cramps, exhaustion to the very
serious heat stroke.

When it is hot outside, here are some heat safety tips:

-slow down! Avoid performing strenuous activities during the hottest
part of the day. Wait to perform this during the coolest part, which
is usually the early mornings or in the late evening hours.

-Spend as much time as possible in air conditioned places. If you do
not have air conditioning, go to a Library, store or any air
conditioned building for the hottest part of the day.

-Dress for Summer. Wear light weight... light color clothes that
reflect heat and sunlight. This will help to maintain your body
temperature.

-Drink plenty of water or non caffeinated fluids. Drink
these even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
These only work to dehydrate your body.

One of the biggest concerns regarding heat safety is from the
growing number of child deaths from hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is a
condition that occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can
dissipate. This primarily occurs in children that have been left in
cars on hot days. The temperature inside a parked car can rise very
rapidly... as much as 43 degrees in only an hour. If the temperature
begins at 80 degrees, this can bring the car temperature to well
over 120 degrees! It has been found that even leaving windows
cracked does not significantly reduce the heating rate. This is most
severe on children because their bodies warm at a rate about 3 to 5
times faster than adults.

Since 1998, there have been 559 child deaths from hyperthermia, with
about 38 on average per year. In 2012, there were 32 child deaths
due to hyperthermia from being left in cars. Most of the deaths have
occurred in children that are less than 2 years old. This accounts
for more than half of the children fatalities from hyperthermia.
Fatalities have occurred in all but 4 states across the nation. The
most common cause of these fatalities is from being forgotten by the
caregiver, and playing in an unattended car being the second highest
cause. Per 1 million people 14 years and younger in the United
States, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana are ranked in the top
five for child hyperthermia deaths. In 2012, vehicular hyperthermia
claimed 2 children in Mississippi, 2 in Arkansas and 3 in Louisiana.

Here are ways to protect your children from being another statistic:

-never leave a child unattended in a car, even with the windows down
or even for just a few minutes.

-Teach children not to play in, on or around cars.

-Always lock car doors and trunks and keep the Keys out of The Reach
of children.

-Always make sure all child passengers have left the car when you
reach your destination, and dont Forget about sleeping infants.

-Try placing your purse or briefcase in the backseat with the child.
That way, you wont Forget about the child in the car.

-As with children, never leave your pet in the car as pets are just
as vulnerable to the heat. Just remember, beat the heat, check the
backseat!

For more on heat safety, please visit our webpage at
www.Srh.NOAA.Gov/Jan/?N=heat_safety


Weather Severe Map
Alabama - Public Information Statement
Alaska - Areal Flood Watch , Areal Flood Advisory , Public Information Statement
Arkansas - Flood Warning , Flood Advisory , Public Information Statement
California - Special Weather Statement
Colorado - Fire Weather Warning, Fire Weather Watch , Fire Weather Watch , Public Information Statement
Connecticut - Flood Warning , Public Information Statement
Florida - Fire Weather Watch , Fire Weather Warning, Fire Weather Watch , Fire Weather Warning , Special Statement , Public Information Statement
Georgia - Public Information Statement
Idaho - Record Report
Illinois - Flood Warning , Beach Hazard Statement , Public Information Statement
Indiana - Beach Hazard Statement , Public Information Statement
Iowa - Flood Warning , Public Information Statement
Kansas - Public Information Statement
Kentucky - Special Statement
Louisiana - Flood Warning , Areal Flood Warning , Public Information Statement
Maine - Public Information Statement
Maryland - Freeze Warning , Public Information Statement
Massachusetts - Coastal Hazard Statement , Public Information Statement
Michigan - Flood Warning , Flood Advisory , Frost Advisory , Beach Hazard Statement , Record Report , Public Information Statement
Minnesota - Flood Warning , Public Information Statement
Mississippi - Flood Warning , Flood Advisory , Public Information Statement
Missouri - Flood Warning , Public Information Statement
Montana - Record Report , Public Information Statement
Nebraska - Wind Advisory , Public Information Statement
New Hampshire - Public Information Statement
New Mexico - Public Information Statement
New York - Coastal Hazard Statement , Record Report , Public Information Statement
North Carolina - Wind Advisory , Special Statement , Public Information Statement
North Dakota - Flood Warning, Areal Flood Warning , Flood Warning , Areal Flood Warning , Flood Watch , Flash Flood Watch , Wind Advisory , Public Information Statement
Ohio - Frost Advisory , Public Information Statement
Oregon - Special Weather Statement , Special Statement , Record Report
Pennsylvania - Frost Advisory , Freeze Warning , Public Information Statement
Puerto Rico - Flash Flood Watch
Rhode Island - Coastal Hazard Statement , Public Information Statement
South Carolina - Flood Warning , Public Information Statement
South Dakota - Wind Advisory , Public Information Statement
Tennessee - Flood Warning , Special Statement
Texas - Flash Flood Warning , Areal Flood Advisory , Special Statement , Public Information Statement
Vermont - Flood Warning , Areal Flood Warning , Record Report , Public Information Statement
Virginia - Wind Advisory , Freeze Warning , Special Statement
Washington - Flood Watch , Special Statement , Record Report
West Virginia - Frost Advisory , Freeze Warning , Public Information Statement
Wisconsin - Flood Warning , Record Report , Public Information Statement
- Small Craft Advisory
Listen Live!

Mobile Weather Watcher

Follow CBS Minnesota

Like us on foursquare
wccoradio podcastbanner3 WCCO Radio

Meet WCCO-TV’s Anchors

Amelia Santaniello Frank Vascellaro Chris Shaffer Mark Rosen

TV Schedule

Full Program Grid
7:00 PM Undercover Boss
8:00 PM Blue Bloods
9:00 PM Blue Bloods
10:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Ten
10:35 PM Late Show with David Letterman
11:37 PM The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson