« Working on the Providence waterfront | Today | R.I. National Guard unit returns today »

June 9, 2008

Update: The heat is on, record could fall/ Photo

Journal photo/ Bill Murphy
The sun peeks through the leaves this morning as Rhode Island prepares for another hot and humid day.

One hundred and seven degrees.

OK, the mercury isn't supposed to really climb that high, it's actually set to reach the mid-to-upper 90s, potentially breaking the 1984 record of 95 degrees.

And the National Weather Service is forecasting the heat index could climb well past 100 degrees today.

And with that heat comes alerts and hazardous weather watches.

The Department of Environmental Management has issued an air quality alert, warning of potentially dangerous levels of ozone, which is created when smog is heated near the earth's surface. Ozone can cause respiratory problems, especially in children and the elderly.

This alert means public transportation will be free -- which is a win-win since not only does that mean you can stay out of the heat, it may also keep some cars off the road, limiting emissions that contribute to ozone creation.

NWS has also issued a general excessive heat watch. High temperatures and humidity can lead to health problems aside from respiratory -- among them heat stroke. People suffer heat stroke when their bodies become unable to regulate temperature; humidity keeps sweat from evaporating, and the body can't cool down. Heat stroke can be fatal.

The National Weather Service recommends staying out of the sun and drinking lots of water -- no alcohol! -- and finding an air conditioned place to rest.

Besides the heat, there's a slight chance of thunderstorms later this afternoon, and a south wind 5 to 10 mph.

There's also a chance of showers tonight, otherwise we'll have cloudy skies and a low temperature hitting about 71 degrees.

Another chance of showers tomorrow afternoon. We may see high winds and lots of lightening. And the temperature? It's set to hit 98 degrees -- without the heat index.

Keep an eye on the heat at projo.com's weather page.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 8:08 AM | Permalink

Comments

michele | June 9, 2008 3:48 PM link

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)