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000
NOUS43 KABR 191339
PNSABR
MNZ039-046-200145-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
839 AM CDT FRI APR 19 2013

...MINNESOTA SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...DAY FIVE
...HEAT WAVES...

MINNESOTAS THIRD DEADLIEST WEATHER FACTOR SINCE 1990...EXCESSIVE HEAT
HAS RESULTED IN THE THIRD GREATEST NUMBER OF WEATHER FATALITIES IN
MINNESOTA SINCE 1990. FOURTEEN PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM HIGH HEAT
AND HUMIDITY. ONLY TORNADOES AND FLOODING HAVE KILLED MORE PEOPLE
IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.

FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO DEATHS LAST YEAR FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT IN
MINNESOTA. TRAGICALLY...THERE WERE AT LEAST 33 DEATHS OF CHILDREN THAT
WERE LEFT IN HOT VEHICLES DURING 2011.

IN THE LAST 10 YEARS...A NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 219 PEOPLE HAVE DIED
AS A RESULT OF HEALTH PROBLEMS DIRECTLY RELATED TO EXCESSIVE
HEAT. CONSIDERING THIS DEATH TOLL...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
HAS STEPPED UP ITS EFFORTS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY ALERT THE GENERAL
PUBLIC TO THE HAZARDS OF HEAT WAVES.

BASED ON RESEARCH FINDINGS...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEVISED
THE HEAT INDEX (HI).  IT IS AN ACCURATE MEASURE OF HOW HOT IT
REALLY FEELS WHEN THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS ADDED TO THE ACTUAL AIR
TEMPERATURE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE...SINCE HEAT INDEX VALUES
WERE DEVISED FOR SHADY...LIGHT WIND CONDITIONS...EXPOSURE TO FULL
SUNSHINE CAN INCREASE VALUES BY UP TO 15 DEGREES.

HEAT DISORDERS GENERALLY HAVE TO DO WITH A REDUCTION OR
COLLAPSE IN THE ABILITY OF THE BODY TO SHED HEAT BY
CIRCULATORY CHANGES AND SWEATING...IN OTHER WORDS...A CHEMICAL
IMBALANCE CAUSED BY TOO MUCH SWEATING. WHEN HEAT GAIN EXCEEDS
THE LEVEL THE BODY CAN REMOVE...OR WHEN THE BODY CANNOT
COMPENSATE FOR FLUIDS AND SALT LOST THROUGH PERSPIRATION...THE
INNER CORE TEMPERATURE OF THE BODY BEGINS TO RISE AND HEAT-RELATED
ILLNESS MAY DEVELOP. RANGING IN SEVERITY...HEAT DISORDERS SHARE
ONE COMMON FEATURE...THE INDIVIDUAL HAS OVER-EXPOSED OR OVER-
EXERCISED FOR HIS/HER AGE AND PHYSICAL CONDITION IN THE EXISTING
THERMAL ENVIRONMENT.

SUNBURN...WITH ITS ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION BURNS...CAN ALSO
SIGNIFICANTLY RETARD THE ABILITY OF SKIN TO SHED EXCESS HEAT.

SAFETY TIPS...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL ISSUE ADVISORIES OR WARNINGS
WHEN THE HEAT INDEX IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON
PUBLIC SAFETY. THE COMMON GUIDELINES FOR THE ISSUANCE OF EXCESSIVE
HEAT WARNINGS IS WHEN THE MAXIMUM DAYTIME INDEX IS EXPECTED TO
REACH 110...AND THE NIGHTTIME LOW TEMPERATURE DOES NOT FALL
BELOW 75 OR 80 DEGREES.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO FOLLOW TO ENSURE THAT HEAT-RELATED PROBLEMS
DO NOT IMPACT YOU...

SLOW DOWN. STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE REDUCED...
      ELIMINATED OR RESCHEDULED TO THE COOLEST TIME OF THE
      DAY. INDIVIDUALS AT RISK SHOULD STAY IN THE COOLEST
      AVAILABLE PLACE...NOT NECESSARILY INDOORS. DRESS FOR
      SUMMER. LIGHTWEIGHT...LIGHT-COLORED CLOTHING
      REFLECTS HEAT AND SUNLIGHT...AND HELPS YOUR BODY
      MAINTAIN NORMAL TEMPERATURES.

PUT LESS FUEL ON YOUR INNER FIRES. FOODS SUCH AS
      PROTEINS THAT INCREASE METABOLIC HEAT PRODUCTION ALSO
      INCREASE WATER LOSS.

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER OR OTHER NONALCOHOLIC FLUIDS. YOUR
      BODY NEEDS WATER TO KEEP COOL. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS
      EVEN IF YOU DO NOT FEEL THIRSTY. HOWEVER...THOSE WHO
      SUFFER FROM EPILEPSY...HEART...KIDNEY OR LIVER DISEASE...
      ARE ON FLUID RESTRICTIVE DIETS OR HAVE A PROBLEM WITH
      FLUID RETENTION...SHOULD CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE
      INCREASING THEIR CONSUMPTION OF FLUIDS.

DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

SPEND MORE TIME IN AIR-CONDITIONED PLACES. AIR
      CONDITIONING IN HOMES AND OTHER BUILDINGS MARKEDLY
      REDUCES DANGER FROM THE HEAT. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD AN
      AIR CONDITIONER...SPENDING TIME EACH DAY IN AN AIR
      CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT DURING HOT WEATHER AFFORDS SOME
      PROTECTION.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET TOO MUCH SUN. SUNBURN MAKES THE
      JOB OF HEAT DISSIPATION THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.


$$

NWSABR