Tips For Incoming Heat Wave

Today marks the start of summer, and it's going to feel like it.

The Baltimore area is under a heat advisory from noon today to 10 p.m. Thursday. The National Weather Service warns temperatures could reach 100 to 105 today and 105 on Thursday. With humidity, those temperatures could feel noticeably higher.

WBAL-TV predicts actual temperatures will flirt with triple digits, but again, it's never the heat; it's the humidity. Highs should drop to the mid to high 80s by Friday.

The heat advisory tells residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay near air-conditioning and check on vulnerable relatives and neighbors. Avoid strenuous outdoor activities in the afternoon.

Baltimore County does not operate separate cooling centers. Instead, the county directs residents who need to cool down to county libraries and senior centers. Here are additional tips from the :

• Never leave a child or pet in an unattended car.
• Check on elderly or chronically ill family members, friends and neighbors to make sure they are okay.
• Visit a cooling center in Baltimore County or consider visiting family, friends or an air-conditioned public building.
• Stay hydrated with water or fruit juices.
• Keep your home cool by preparing foods that require minimal cooking.
• Wear loose-fitting clothing, a hat and sunglasses when outdoors.
• Use sunscreen and reapply often when spending time in the pool or sweating excessively.
• Limit outdoor activity when the temperatures and humidity are extremely high. 
• Make sure you take care of your pets by providing plenty of water and appropriate shelter.
• Take time to prepare or reevaluate your emergency preparedness kit.  Make sure you have enough water to last you at least three days, a flashlight and a battery-powered radio.

The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene also warns people to be aware of illnesses related to heat:

• Heatstroke is a serious illness characterized by a body temperature greater than 105 degrees. Symptoms may include dry red skin, convulsions, disorientation, delirium and coma. Onset of heatstroke can be rapid: a person can go from feeling apparently well to a seriously ill condition within minutes. Treatment of heatstroke involves the rapid lowering of body temperature, using a cool bath or wet towels. A heatstroke victim should be kept in a cool area; emergency medical care should be obtained by dialing 911.

• Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heatstroke that may develop due to a combination of several days with high temperatures and dehydration in an individual. Signs of heat exhaustion include extreme weakness, muscle cramps, nausea, or headache. Victims may also vomit or faint. Heat exhaustion is treated with plenty of liquids and rest in a cool, shaded area. Those on a low-sodium diet or with other health problems should contact a doctor.

For more information on how to handle the heat, visit the department's heat emergency website.

How do you stay cool? Tell us in the comments.