Excessive Heat Warning: Meaning, Symptoms, and What to Do

The National Weather Service of the United States issues an Excessive Heat Warning when a prolonged period of excessive heat is expected within about 24 hours.

The following conditions must be met for the NWS to issue an excessive heat warning:

• Temperature indices must reach a minimum of 105°F (41°C).
• At night time, temperatures must not drop below 75°F (24°C).
• The particular temperatures must stay the same or higher for at least two hours daily.   

However, the temperature might vary with places, especially ones that aren’t used to extreme heat conditions. So, you must take the necessary precautions as soon as the warning is issued, as you might get seriously ill and possibly lose your life.

Heat Advisory Vs. Excessive Heat Warning

The National Weather Service heat warning has four danger levels: hazardous weather outlook, heat advisory, excessive heat watch, and excessive heat warning.

Heat advisory, in simple words, means you may get ill if you don’t take the necessary precautions. It’s issued when heat indices are expected to reach at least 100°F, but the number can vary with places. For example, for much of the Philadelphia Corridor, NWS issues a heat advisory when the temperature stays between 96°F (36°C) and 104°F (40°C) through June 30. After that, the forecasted temperature must remain between 100°F (38°C) and 104°F (40°C). On the other hand, in Delaware, the heat indices must reach 105°F (41°C).

Moving on, an excessive heat warning means the effects will be worse if necessary precautions aren’t taken. But what temperature is an excessive heat warning?  It is expected to reach at least 105°F for at least two hours per day.

Excessive Heat Warning Symptoms

The below table presents the illness and symptoms of excessive heat warnings and what to do in such situations:

Excessive Heat Warning: What To Do

Excessive heat is a period of high heat with temperatures exceeding 104°F (40°C) coupled with humidity for at least 2-3 days. So, what does an excessive heat warning mean for your body? During this time, your body might struggle to maintain a normal temperature, which can result in ailments and potentially death. Extreme heat contributes to the majority of annual deaths among all weather-related hazards.

So whenever the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat warning, you must prepare yourself and your family, especially if there are adults, children, sick, or overweight individuals. Follow the preparedness checklist for your reference:

Preparedness Checklist

Before

Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water is essential to keeping your body temperature down and preventing heat illness. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), an average person needs to drink 3-4 liters of water daily to meet basic needs and avoid health complications.

Try to Stay Cool

Fans might not be enough to wade off the extreme temperatures. Instead, taking a cool bath or staying in an air conditioner is a much better way to cool off.

• Spending a few hours in an air-conditioning room is essential. If you don’t have any, try finding a shopping mall, public library, or a public cooling center to stay for a few hours.
• Local government or community groups might provide additional resources during these emergencies, so look out for them.
• Wear light and loose clothing.
• Create a support group of people who can help you. You can also join any local groups that have been formed to support each other during these times.

Gather Emergency Services

It is probably the most crucial step, where you must gather all your essentials, including water, food, and medicine. The National Weather Service issues a warning 24 hours within the onset of extreme heat conditions, so be preemptive in taking action, as stores might be closed during the event. Also, during a power outage, you might lose access to drinking water, so set aside at least a gallon of water per person. Keep sports drinks, electrolytes, hats, and sunscreens alongside.

Divide your supplies into two categories:

• Go Kit: Three days of supplies that you can carry, including backup batteries and chargers for your appliances like smartphones, wheelchair, CPAP, etc. Or you can just power your home with solar generators by investing in a Jackery Solar Generator that gets ample sunlight to keep your appliances powered throughout the day.
• Stay-at-Home-Kit: At least two weeks of food and water supplies

Learn Emergency Skills

Here are a few things you must learn:

• Ways to recognize and tackle heat illnesses
• Learn First Aid

Stay Connected

• Have a battery backup (Jackery Solar Generators)
• Monitor local news and weather
• Sign up for free emergency alerts from the government.

During

Stay Hydrated and Cool

Drink plenty of water and fluids to keep your body hydrated and cool. You must also have snacks and sports drinks to replenish the lost salt and minerals.

Now, during excessive heat conditions,

• Check the color of urine to determine if your body is getting enough water. Dark yellow means you aren’t drinking enough.
• Avoid caffeinated, sugary, and alcoholic drinks.
• If you’re sweating a lot, consume snacks and sports drinks to fill the salt and minerals you lose with sweat.
• Consult your doctor to devise an action plan if you have a medical condition.
• Stay in a conditioned place
• Wear loose and lightweight clothes
• Don’t go outdoors unless there’s an emergency.

Prevent Heat Illness

If any of your friends or family members are acting unusually, vomiting, or feeling uneasy, check on them. Monitor the symptoms and take necessary actions.

After

• After an event of excessive heat, having bad feelings, stress, and anxiety is normal. Try to eat healthy and sleep as much as you can.
• Practice evacuation plans and other emergency procedures to stay prepared for any unforeseen circumstances in the future
• Invest in emergency equipment, such as CPAP machines, Jackery Solar Generators, and others, to tackle these harsh weather conditions effectively.
• Call the Disaster Distress Helpline if you need someone to talk to. Call or text 1-800-985-5990.

Practice Heat Safety Wherever You Are

During excessive heat or other emergencies, staying safe wherever you are doesn’t happen on its own. It takes conscious planning and effort to ensure you and your family are safe. Here’s what you can do:

Job Sites

Work is unavoidable irrespective of the circumstances, so follow the steps to stay safe when working:

• Take breaks in the shade and drink water as often as possible
• Quickly identify any heat illness symptoms
• Try to work shorter shifts

Indoors

When indoors, follow the tips to stay safe during excessive heat:

• Drink plenty of water, regardless of whether you’re thirsty, especially during extreme heat. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as it potentially contributes to dehydration and heat illness.
• Use blinds, shades, curtains, and others to block sunlight, especially during the daytime. Also, temporary window reflectors such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard should be installed to reflect heat outside. Rather, you can stay in an air-conditioned room to keep yourself cool.
• Avoid appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and dryers to limit heat-producing activities in your home.
• Check up on the elderly, kids, sick, and those without AC. Try to keep their room as cool as possible.  

Vehicles

Here are a few tips to stay safe in vehicles:

• When getting out of your car, check twice, as your kids might be sleeping. Don’t leave them behind.
• When in vehicles, try to consume as much cool fluids and water as possible. Avoid sugary drinks, as they make the body lose more fluids.
• During excessive heat, ensure all your engine oil, brake fuel, transmission fluid, and power steering fluid are topped off. Otherwise, the engine may stress in dissipating the heat.
• Avoid going outdoors during the hottest part of the day, generally between 12 PM and 3 PM. If possible, postpone your work until 5 PM to avoid any heat illness.
• Get your car’s condenser, compressor, and cooling fans checked before summer.   

Outdoors

Follow the tips to stay safe when outdoors:

• Limit strenuous activities like running, jogging, or others when outdoors.
• Drink water at regular intervals even if you aren’t thirsty.
• Apply sunscreen SPF 15 or higher than 30 before going outdoors and reapply once every two hours.
• Step into the shade to avoid any direct sunlight.

Jackery Solar Generators For Excessive Heat Warning

Jackery is a leading manufacturer of solar generators, solar panels, and portable power stations. Their solar generators combine Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels and Portable Power Stations to convert sunlight into usable electricity and power domestic appliances like water pumps, refrigerators, CPAP machines, and others during emergencies or power outages.

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus

Capacity: 2042.8Wh

Battery Cell & Life Cycle: LiFePO4, 4000 cycles to 70%+ capacity

Appliances:

• Refrigerator(300W): 5.4H
• Oven(1500W): 1.1H
• Microwave(1000W): 1.6H
• TV(200W): 8.2H
• Light Bulb(50W): 32.7H

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus, with its massive battery capacity and ample port setup, can power 99% of your home appliances during power outages, including air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. This way, keeping yourself cool or hydrated during excessive heat won’t be a problem.

Review: “Quality all the way! Works like a charm!”- Jared

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus Kit (4kWh)

Capacity: 4085.6Wh

Battery Cell & Life Cycle: LiFePO4, 4000 cycles to 70%+ capacity

Appliances:

• Refrigerator (300W): 11.5H
• Oven (1500W): 2.31
• Microwave (1000W): 3.5H
• TV (200W): 17.3H
• Light Bulb (50W): 69.4H

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus Kit (4kWh) is a versatile solar generator suitable for multiple scenarios, such as power outages, blackouts, and other emergencies. It has an expandable capacity and can power heavy appliances for a decent time, making it suitable for excessive heat.

Review: “The Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus and Battery Pack with the 400W solar panels package is a great combination for home backup and RV usage.”- Larry Gee.

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus Kit (6kWh)

Capacity: 6,128.4Wh

Battery Cell & Life Cycle: LiFePO4, 4000 cycles to 70%+ capacity

Recharging Methods & Time:

Appliances:

• Dishwasher (1800W): 2.9H
• Microwave (1500W): 3.5H
• TVs (60W): 86.8H
• Washing Machine (500W): 10.4H
• Laptop (100W): 52.1H

If you have an even larger house and live in an area where excessive heat is common, you'll need a Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus Kit (6kWh) with greater battery capacity. The power it packs is enough to power most of your heavy appliances during extended blackouts or power outages.

Review: “This is absolutely a great addition to the 2000 Plus. I mainly have this for power outages, but will use this on the occasional camping trips.”-Mark Watkins.

Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro

Capacity: 3024Wh

Battery Cell & Life Cycle: NMC, 2000 cycles to 70%+ capacity

Appliances:

• Refrigerator (300W): 8.1H
• Oven (1500W): 1.6H
• Microwave (1000W): 2.4H
• TV (200W): 12.1H
• Light Bulb (50W): 48.4H
• Space Heater (1500W): 1.6H

It’s a decent-sized battery backup for your home that can charge 99% of your domestic appliances for hours. Its exceptional temperature resilience makes it adaptable to any temperature, so all you have to worry about is keeping yourself and your family members safe from excessive heat.

Review: “This Generator is a game changer. The battery lasts for hours. Solar panels work great and can be used ANYWHERE.” - Kenny Barrett.

Conclusion

When an extreme heat warning is issued, it’s important to exercise extreme caution. This includes drinking plenty of water, limiting time outdoors, keeping your body cool by staying in an air conditioner, and eating light meals. You must also keep emergency appliances like refrigerators, CPAP machines, smartphones, and others running. Aside from that, you may invest in a Jackery Solar Generator to keep those appliances running even during power outages and blackouts.