According to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), there were 21,518 heat-related deaths between 1999 and 2023, a 117% increase. Heat stress is the leading cause of weather-related deaths and can be particularly dangerous for those with underlying illnesses like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental health and asthma. Heatstroke is a dangerous medical emergency with a high fatality rate.
The www.weather.com prediction is that the Southern Plains and Southwest, particularly the southern Rockies, are expected to have a hotter-than-usual spring and early summer in 2025. Along with these warmer temperatures, the National Weather Service’s (NWS) long-range forecast predicts lower-than-average rainfall for much of the southwest part of the country, including Texas and Oklahoma.
As warmer temps begin encroaching upon the country, and potentially fewer rainy days prevent people from getting outside, it’s time to start thinking about your summer safety strategy.
The CDC offers the following tips to stay safe during periods of high heat.
- Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible.
- Don’t rely on a fan as your main cooling source when it’s hot outside.
- Drink more water than usual, and don’t wait until you’re thirsty.
- If your doctor limits the amount of fluids you drink or has you on water pills, ask them how much you should drink during hot weather.
- Limit the use of the stove or oven to cook—it will make you and your house hotter.
- Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Take cool showers or baths to cool down.
- Do not engage in very strenuous activities, and get plenty of rest.
- Check on a friend or neighbor and have someone do the same for you.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines extreme heat as summertime temperatures that are much hotter and/or humid than average. Because some places get warmer than others, this depends on what’s considered average for a particular location at that time of year. Humid and muggy conditions can make it seem hotter than it really is.
An Excessive Heat Warning is issued within 12 hours of the onset of extremely dangerous heat conditions. The general rule of thumb for this warning is when the maximum heat index temperature is expected to be 105° or higher for at least two days, and nighttime air temperatures will not drop below 75 degrees. However, these criteria vary across the country, especially for areas not used to extreme heat conditions. If you don’t take precautions immediately when conditions are extreme, you may become seriously ill or even die.
If you frequently work outdoors or are an athlete getting your workout in after work or school, there are some things to watch for to help identify heat-related illnesses (HRI). The three main types of HRI are heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. They can occur when individuals are exposed to extreme heat.
The CDC says signs of overexposure to excessive heat conditions can begin with heat cramps. If you experience heavy sweating with muscle cramps during intense exercise, you should stop and move to a cool place, drink water or a sports drink and wait for the cramps to go away.
Signs of heat exhaustion are heavy sweating, cold, pale, clammy skin, fast, weak pulse, nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness, dizziness, headache and fainting. If you or someone around you experiences these symptoms, you should move to a cool place, loosen your clothes and put a cool, wet cloth on the body.
Signs of heat stroke are a body temperature that’s 103°F or higher, hot, red, dry, or damp skin, fast, strong pulse, headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and losing consciousness or passing out. If you see someone with these symptoms, call 911 immediately, as heat stroke is a medical emergency. After that, move the person to a cooler place and help lower their temperature with a cool cloth.
During the late spring and early parts of the summer, when temperatures haven’t reached an excessive or extreme status, it’s important not to leave children or pets inside a car. Even if you leave a window open, cars can quickly heat up to dangerous temperatures. While anyone left in a parked car is at risk, children are especially at risk of getting heat stroke or dying.
It’s also important to protect your skin, particularly during the summer when you’re more likely to be outside. According to JAMA, Native Americans had the second-highest skin cancer rates behind white Americans.
The most common type of cancer is skin cancer, mainly squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. While melanoma is much less common than the other types, it’s much more likely to invade nearby tissue and spread to different parts of the body. Most deaths from skin cancer are caused by melanoma.
For melanoma specifically, a simple way to remember the warning signs is to remember the A-B-C-D-Es:
- Asymmetrical: Does the mole or spot have an irregular shape with two parts that look very different?
- Border: Is the border irregular or jagged?
- Color: Is the color uneven?
- Diameter: Is the mole or spot larger than the size of a pea?
- Evolving: Has the mole or spot changed during the past few weeks or months?
Prevention isn’t hard. Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. The most common way people are exposed to UV rays is from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps.
The best way to protect your skin from UV rays is to use sunscreen or sunblock. Mineral sunblock contains zinc oxide or titanium oxide as their active ingredients. These create a physical barrier between your skin and the UV rays.
Chemical sunscreens contain one or more of the following active ingredients: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate or octinoxate. They work by capturing UV light and converting it to heat.
Mineral sunscreens can be better for sensitive skin and work immediately, but they take longer to put on and can leave a white residue on the skin since they’re opaque. Chemical sunscreens are easier to put on and are transparent. However, they may cause allergic reactions, aren’t immediately effective, and the chemicals in the sunscreen must be absorbed into the skin to work, a cause of concern for some.
Regardless of which type of sunscreen you use, it should be at least 30 SPF and applied 30 minutes before outdoor activity.
Checking your skin regularly is key to catching any potential spots of concern. If you do find a spot you’re unsure about, talk to your primary care provider about what to do.