INDIANA – According to the Climate Prediction Center, Indiana will experience temperatures 40 to 50% higher than the average temperature for the state over the next three months.
The average temperature in Indiana during the summer, between June and September, is between 82-85 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service. Extreme heat occurs when temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for at least two to three days.
The State of Indiana will release an excessive heat watch if there is expected to be conducive heat within the next 24-72 hours, or an excessive heat warning if there will be extreme temperatures within the next 12 hours.
And what is causing this excessive heat? We can thank El Niño for arriving early. Meteorologists fear a strong El Niño would lead to the hottest year on record as it did in 2016. As El Niño strengthens which it is expected to do, Indiana will see impacts later in the fall and into winter.
Extreme heat is the deadliest weather hazard in the US, responsible for more fatalities each year than hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heat-related illnesses are preventable.
But you need to learn the symptoms and what to do if you or a loved one shows signs of having a heat-related illness.
It is key according to the CDC to move a person to a cooler environment immediately, apply cool, wet compresses, or have the person sit in a cool bath. If the person is suffering a throbbing headache, confusion, nausea, dizziness, a rapid and strong pulse, vomits after drinking water, or losses consciousness call 911 and seek immediate medical attention.
For more information on these heat-related illnesses, click here.
