The holiday weekend could bring with it extreme heat to the eastern part of the state.
Forecasts from the National Weather Service show heat could reach 100 degrees in Wilmington, starting on the Fourth of July. Heat advisories and Excessive Heat warnings are possible throughout the week.
Factoring in humidity, temperatures could feel like 105 degrees or higher on Friday and Saturday. Conditions could become more severe on Sunday and Monday. There’s a possibility heat indices will go over 110 degrees.
The high heat brings greater chances of heat-related illnesses. People should take care to hydrate, stay out of the sun, keep to air-conditioned spaces, wear light clothes, and avoid strenuous activity.
According to the CDC, people with heat exhaustion often experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, and heavy sweating. If you think someone has heat exhaustion, you should move them to someplace cool, give them liquids to drink, and remove unnecessary layers of clothing. You can also give them cold compresses or put water on their head and neck. It can lead to heat stroke if untreated.
If someone shows signs of heat stroke, call 911. Symptoms include confusion, slurred speech, hot and dry skin or profuse sweating, loss of consciousness, and seizures. If untreated, heat stroke can lead to death or disability.
