RSS Feeds2005 Press Release
HEAT WAVE- a major summer killer in WisconsinWISCONSIN FACTS...HEAT IS THE NUMBER-ONE WEATHER KILLER IN THIS COUNTRY. EXTREME HEAT AND HUMIDITY ASSOCIATED WITH HEAT WAVES DIRECTLY KILLED ON AVERAGE AT LEAST 237 PEOPLE A YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PERIOD OF 1994-2003. THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON INFORMATION FROM THE CENTERS OF DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION /CDC/.
ALTHOUGH MOSTLY KNOWN FOR ITS COLD AND SNOWY WINTERS...WISCONSIN IS NOT IMMUNE FROM THE TRAGEDIES CAUSED BY HEAT WAVES. SINCE 1982...HEAT WAVES HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE DEATHS IN WISCONSIN THAN ALL OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS COMBINED. THE HOT SUMMER WEATHER OF 1995 CLAIMED 154 WISCONSIN RESIDENTS AND FORCED ANOTHER 400 PEOPLE TO SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT. IN 1999...AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE DIED FROM THE EFFECTS OF HEAT. FOR 2001...THE TOTAL WAS 15... FOLLOWED BY 8 HEAT-RELATED DEATHS IN 2002 /3 DIRECT AND 5 INDIRECT/. IN 2003, THERE WERE 5 INDIRECTLY RELATED HEAT FATALITIES IN WISCONSIN (HEAT WAS A SECONDARY CAUSE OF DEATH), ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO OFFICIAL EXCESSIVE HEAT EPISODES FOR THE PERIOD OF 1982-2003...AT LEAST 112 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN WISCONSIN...IN WHICH HEAT WAS THE DIRECT OR PRIMARY CAUSE. THIS COMES OUT TO AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 5 PER YEAR. FOR THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME...AT LEAST 95 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN WISCONSIN WHEN HEAT WAS AN INDIRECT...OR SECONDARY CAUSE. IN THE SUMMER OF 1995...SEVERAL HEAT WAVES AFFECTED MOST OF WISCONSIN...AND RESULTED IN 154 FATALITIES...82 DIRECT AND 72 INDIRECT. THE HEAT WAVES OCCURRED FROM LATE JUNE THROUGH MID AUGUST. IN ADDITION...APPROXIMATELY 400 PEOPLE RECEIVED MEDICAL TREATMENT DUE TO HEAT-RELATED CAUSES. THE 1995 SUMMER HEAT WAVES HOLD THE RECORD AS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER- RELATED KILLER IN WISCONSIN SINCE IT BECAME A STATE IN 1848. MOST DEATHS OCCURRED IN THE MAJOR URBAN CITIES IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. AS IN EVERY STATE HIT BY THE HEAT WAVE THAT YEAR...THE ELDERLY AND YOUNG AGE GROUPS WERE HIT THE HARDEST. NWS HEAT WAVE PROGRAM
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 Outlook Statement... issued 2 to 4 days in advance of when Heat Advisoryor Excessive Heat Warning conditions are anticipated. Issued as a Special Weather Statement.
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| HEAT ADVISORY... Issued 6 to 24 hours in advance of any 24-hour period
in which daytime heat index (HI) values are expected to be 105-114oF for 3 hours or more., and night time HI's will be equal to or
greater than 80oF. For south-central and southeast Wisconsin the HI numbers are 105-110oF and 75oF, respectively. |
| EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH... Issued 6 to 24 hours
in advance of any 24-hour period in which daytime heat index (HI) values are anticipated to equal or exceed 115oF for 3 hours
or more, and night time HI's will be equal to or greater than 80oF. For south-central and southeast Wisconsin the daytime HI numbers are anticipated to exceed 110oF and night time HI numbers will equal or exceed 80oF. |
 EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING... Issued 6 to 24 hours
in advance of any 24-hour period in which daytime heat index (HI) values will equal or exceed 115oF for 3 hours or more,
and night time HI's will equal or exceed 80oF. For south-central and southeast Wisconsin the daytime HI numbers will exceed 110oF and night time HI numbers will equal or exceed 80oF. |
THE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN NWS OFFICE SERVICES 20 COUNTIES IN SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. OTHER NWS OFFICES THAT SERVICE WISCONSIN USE A DAYTIME HEAT INDEX THRESHOLD OF 115 FOR WARNINGS. REMEMBER THAT IF HEAT INDEX VALUES EXCEED 110 DEGREES...SUN-STROKE... HEAT CRAMPS OR HEAT EXHAUSTION IS LIKELY WITH PROLONGED EXPOSURE AND/OR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
HELP EACH OTHER...
KEEP IN MIND THAT ELDERLY PERSONS...SMALL CHILDREN...PEOPLE ON MEDICATION AND PERSONS WITH WEIGHT OR ALCOHOL PROBLEMS ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO HEAT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE DURING A HEAT WAVE WHERE A MODERATE CLIMATE PREVAILS SUCH AS WISCONSIN. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO PERIODICALLY CHECK IN WITH THE ELDERLY AND OTHERS SUSCEPTIBLE AND HELP THEM OBTAIN RELIEF FROM THE OPPRESSIVE HEAT AND HUMIDITY. WHAT YOU CAN DO...SLOW DOWN AND REDUCE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES ESPECIALLY DURING THE HOTTEST PARTS OF THE DAY. DRESS FOR SUMMER... WEAR LIGHTWEIGHT...LIGHT-COLORED CLOTHING. DO NOT GET TOO MUCH SUN..IT MAKES IT EVEN HARDER FOR YOUR SKIN TO COOL YOU OFF. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER AND STAY AWAY FROM ALL ALCOHOLIC DRINKS...WHICH WILL MAKE THE HEAT/S EFFECT ON YOUR BODY EVEN WORSE. SPEND YOUR TIME INDOORS. IF AIR CONDITIONING IS NOT AVAILABLE...STAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OUT OF THE SUNSHINE. YOU CAN ALSO TRY TO GO TO A PUBLIC BUILDING WHERE AIR CONDITIONING IS AVAILABLE OR TAKE A BATH OR SHOWER WITH COOL WATER. IF A PERSON COLLAPSES DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF HEAT...COOL THEM DOWN IMMEDIATELY WITH A GARDEN HOSE...OR APPLY TOWELS SOAKED WITH COOL WATER. IF THEY ARE STILL CONSCIOUS...GIVE THEM WATER TO DRINK. OF COURSE...YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT 911 AND REQUEST MEDICAL ATTENTION. AS WITH ANY SEVERE WEATHER STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL TV OR RADIO STATIONS FOR THE LATEST FORECAST AND HEAT INDEX VALUES.
SYMPTOMS OF HEAT RELATED ILLINESS AND WHAT TO DO...
HERE ARE SOME SYMPTIONS OF HEAT-RELATED ILLINESS AND WHAT TO DO...
---HEAT CRAMPS.......CRAMPS OR MUSCLE SPASMS IN THE ABDOMEN...ARMS OR
LEGS.
---SOLUTION..........STOP ACTIVITY...COOL DOWN...DRINK PLAIN WATER...
CLEAR JUICE...OR A SPORTS DRINK.
---HEAT EXHAUSTION...HEAVY SWEATING...PALENESS...MUSCLE CRAMPS...
WEAKNESS...DIZZINESS...HEADACHE...NAUSEA...OR
FAINTING.
---SOLUTION..........COOL DOWN...SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IF PERSON
HAS HEART PROBLEMS OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
---HEAT STROKE.......EXTREMELY HIGH BODY TEMPERATURE...RED HOT DRY
SKIN...RAPID PULSE...THROBBING HEADACHE...
DIZZINESS...NAUSEA...CONFUSION...
UNCONSCIOUSNESS.
---SOLUTION..........CALL 911 AND COOL VICTUM WITH SHOWER OR HOSE
UNTIL HELP ARRIVES.
HOW TO STAY COOL.....IF POSSIBLE...SPEND TIME IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED
ENVIRONMENT. IF NOT...BASEMENTS ARE OFTEN
SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER. COVER WINDOWS TO
PREVENT DIRECT SUNLIGHT FROM ENTERING. USE FANS
TO BLOW HOT AIR OUTSIDE IF OVER 95 DEGREES IN
THE ROOM.
MINIMIZE THE EFFECTS OF HEAT...
---SLOW DOWN AND REDUCE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. IF POSSIBLE...DO YOUR ACTIVITIES IN THE EARLY MORNING OR EVENING. ---DRINK PLENTY OF WATER...STAY AWAY FROM ALCOHOLIC...CARBONATED... OR CAFFINE-TYPE DRINKS. ---STAY OUT OF THE DIRECT RAYS OF THE SUN...THIS CAN ADD 15 DEGREES TO THE APPARENT TEMPERATURE...BETTER KNOWN AS THE HEAT INDEX...A TERM METEOROLOGISTS USE TO DESCRIBE THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF HEAT AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY. ---TAKING A COOL BATH OR SHOWER WILL COOL YOUR BODY DOWN 25 TIMES FASTER THAN JUST SITTING IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM. ---STAY AWAY FROM STRONG HOT WINDS...A HOT WIND JUST ADDS MORE HEAT TO THE HUMAN BODY...SIMILAR TO A HOT-AIR BLAST FURNACE. ---WEAR LIGHT-WEIGHT...AND LIGHT-COLORED CLOTHING...LIMITED TO ONE LAYER OF ABSORBENT FABRIC TO FACILITATE THE EVAPORATION OF SWEAT. IF CLOTHES BECOME WET...THEY SHOULD BE CHANGED FOR DRY ONES. ---USE A GOOD SUNSCREEN...AND WEAR A WIDE-BRIMMED HAT. A SUNBURN REDUCES THE SKIN/S ABILITY TO PROVIDE COOLING. ---INSIDE...KEEP SHADES DRAWN AND BLINDS CLOSED. KEEP LIGHTS ON LOW OR TURNED OFF. ---EAT FREQUENT...SMALL MEALS. AVOID HIGH-PROTEIN FOODS WHICH INCREASE METABOLIC HEAT. ---AVOID USING SALT TABLETS...UNLESS DIRECTED TO DO SO BY A PHYSICIAN. ---ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT IS TO SPEND TIME IN AN AIR- CONDITIONED ROOM. EVEN JUST 2 HOURS PER DAY IN AIR-CONDITIONING CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE RISK OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS. ---IF YOU HAVE AIR-CONDITIONING...USE IT. IS IT WORTH YOUR LIFE JUST TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS ON YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL? ---SEE IF YOUR COMMUNITY OFFERS SCHOOLS...LIBRARIES...PARK BUILDINGS...SHELTERS...OR OTHER PLACES TO SEEK REFUGE FROM THE HEAT. PLAN TO SPEND TIME AT A SHOPPING MALL....OR WITH FRIENDS OR RELATIVES THAT HAVE AIR-CONDITIONING. ---PEOPLE WITH BLOOD CIRCULATION PROBLEMS OR OTHER CHRONIC PROBLEMS REQUIRING REGULAR USE OF MEDICATIONS SHOULD CHECK WITH THEIR PHYSICIAN TO DISCUSS HOW TO HANDLE THE HOT WEATHER. CERTAIN MEDICATIONS REDUCE THE BODY/S ABILITY TO SWEAT...THUS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO COOL DOWN. EVEN SOME OVER-THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS FOR HAY FEVER REDUCE THE BODY/S ABILITY TO SWEAT.
WEATHER RELATED FATALITIES...
TABULATED BELOW ARE THE DIRECT WEATHER RELATED FATALITIES IN
WISCONSIN FROM 1982 TO 2003...
...IN THE HEAT WAVE COLUMN...THE SECOND NUMBER INDICATES THE NUMBER
OF INDIRECT HEAT RELATED DEATHS.
HEAT WINTER COLD
YEAR TORNADO WINDS FLOODS LIGHTNING WAVES STORMS WAVES
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1982 0 1 0 2 0/0 3 4
1983 0 0 0 0 0/0 0 1
1984 12 0 0 0 0/0 0 2
1985 4 1 0 3 0/0 0 4
1986 0 0 1 0 1/0 0 0
1987 0 1 0 0 0/0 0 0
1988 0 0 0 4 1/0 0 0
1989 0 1 0 0 0/0 0 0
1990 0 1 0 1 0/0 0 0
1991 1 1 0 1 0/0 0 0
1992 1 0 0 0 0/0 2 0
1993 0 1 1 1 2/0 0 0
1994 4 0 2 0 0/0 0 0
1995 0 0 0 2 82/72 0 1
1996 1 1 0 0 0/0 1 10
1997 0 3 0 3 1/0 0 1
1998 0 7 2 0 0/0 0 0
1999 0 2 1 1 12/8 1 0
2000 0 0 0 0 0/0 0 1
2001 2 0 0 1 10/5 0 0
2002 0 1 0 1 3/5 0 0
2003 0 0 0 0 0/5 0 0
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TOTALS 25 21 7 20 112/95 7 24
THE CATEGORIES FOR WEATHER RELATED DEATHS ARE FURTHER DETAILED
BELOW...
WINDS - INCLUDE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WINDS...NON-THUNDERSTORM HIGH
WINDS.
FLOODS - INCLUDE FLASH FLOODS...FLOODS...RIVER FLOODS...SMALL STREAM
OR URBAN FLOODING.
WINTER STORMS - INCLUDE SNOW STORMS...BLIZZARDS...ICE STORMS.
---MOST DEATHS DUE TO VEHICLE ACCIDENTS ARE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED
DEATHS...CONSEQUENTLY...THEY ARE NOT COUNTED.---
HEAT WAVES - PERIODS OF EXCESSIVE HEAT AND HUMIDITY.
COLD WAVES - PERIODS OF EXTREME COLD.
DIRECTLY-RELATED DEATHS ARE THOSE IN WHICH THE WEATHER HAZARD WAS
THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF DEATH...
INDIRECTLY-RELATED DEATHS ARE THOSE IN WHICH THE WEATHER HAZARD WAS
A SECONDARY OR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE CAUSE OF DEATH...
PRELIMINARY STATISTICS INDICATE THAT SOUTHERN WISCONSIN HAS
EXPERIENCED BETWEEN 10 TO 14 HEAT WAVES BETWEEN 1982 AND 2002...
EACH LASTING FROM 1 TO 10 DAYS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HEAT WAVE
DAYS IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN DURING THIS PERIOD HAS TOTALED BETWEEN
36 TO 54 DAYS.
PRELIMINARY STATISTICS INDICATE THAT NORTHERN WISCONSIN HAS
EXPERIENCED BETWEEN 6 TO 12 HEAT WAVES BETWEEN 1982 AND 2002...
EACH LASTING FROM 1 TO 10 DAYS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HEAT WAVE DAYS
IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN DURING THIS PERIOD HAS TOTALED BETWEEN
20 TO 38 DAYS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HEAT WAVES CHECK OUT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WEB SITE ON HEAT WAVES...
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index.shtml
...Produced by Warning Coordination Meteorologist - Rusty Kapela, at the NWS Office at Milwaukee/Sullivan, Wisconsin
