Monday, July 03, 2006

The Three H's Have Returned!

Hazy, Hot and Humid- All three go hand in hand, in hand with summer time. Now that the calendar has flipped to July, Mother Nature is right on cue and packing heat. Monday and Tuesday are shaping up to be the hottest days so far in 2006 for Central and Eastern North Carolina.

Let's put things in perspective: At 1pm, Monday afternoon some area temperatures were as follows...

Raleigh: 92
Fayetteville: 91
Wilson: 91
Charlotte: 90

It gets worse. We also have to take into account the thick, humid airmass over the Carolinas to come up with the heat index! So to our skin the afternoon heat feels more like...

Raleigh: 97
Fayetteville: 97
Wilson: 97
Charlotte: 92

Just remember to take it easy today and the 4th. Water is the best thing to fight the summer heat, but you can also use these tips to stay cool.

* Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Avoid alcohol as mixed drinks and beer will cause you to dehydrate faster.

* Wear light colored, light weight clothing. I prefer a soccer jersey, athletic shirt or something that'll allow air flow and rapid drying of moisture. The lighter colors help to reflect the intense heat- thus keeping you cool.

* Try to avoid outdoor work until the early morning or evening hours. The direct rays of the sun cause our temperatures to reach their peak from 2-5pm. If you can wait it out you'll feel much more comfortable and probably get more work done.

No comments: