Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023
The heat goes on
Extreme weather drives punishing temps
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
A pair of bikers ride along West Bank Road in Celina on Monday's scorching afternoon.
By ERIN GARDNER
and ABIGAIL MILLER
newsroom@dailystandard.com
CELINA - Despite the glimpse of autumn weather last week, Ohio is in for a staggering heat wave.
James Gibson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Wilmington, said the maximum heat index for Celina will 96 degrees on Wednesday, 105 degrees on Thursday and 91 on Friday. The heat index takes into account the air temperature and humidity.
The Cincinnati area was under a National Weather Service heat advisory until 9 p.m. Monday for hot and humid conditions that lasted into the early evening, according to the organization.
The area from Northern Kentucky to the center of Indiana experienced a combination of heat and humidity, cranking the heat index values up to the mid to upper 90s from late afternoon until the early evening hours.
Gibson said there is no specific reason for the high temperatures other than low airflow, resulting in a sticky, thick fog of heat.
"There's a large area of high pressure over the central U.S. and that basically causes what we call a heat dome. There's not a lot of airflow," he said. "The jet streams are not impacting the weather, so there are no weather systems moving through. It's just very hot, stagnant air."
Although the temperatures may feel much hotter than normal, Gibson said the forecast isn't that off-base for August.
"It's still summer," he said. "To be honest with you, we've kind of been a little spoiled this year because we haven't been as hot as normal summers. June, July and even so far in August, especially the last couple of days, it's been actually cooler than normal."
The Climate Prediction Center, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, calls for below-normal temperatures for this time of the year, Gibson said. In the next 8-14 days, the temperature will cool down to normal September figures.
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
An air conditioning unit set to 69 degrees cools down a second floor classroom at Celina High School.
Amid the blazing temperatures this week, Celina City Schools will hold their first day of school on Wednesday, and superintendent Dr. Ken Schmiesing said not every classroom will have air conditioning.
"We do have some students and staff members with some health plans, so we do provide air conditioning to those individual classrooms where students and or staff will be located," he said.
In addition, students will be able to find refuge in the hallways, where the school will have large fans throughout, he said.
"We will be monitoring (the situation)," he said. "I know the top floor of our three-story high school seems to be the warmest classrooms when we have this hot weather. We will be working with our two nurses on board to make sure we are monitoring the safety of our students and staff members."
He added he will continue to consult with the two district nurses, and if needed he's not opposed to a three-hour delay, which other schools in the area have implemented.
"Due to the humidity, I think we saw some of that today (a delay) around the area," he said. "Parkway had a three-hour delay before they went to school today. If we have that high humidity that presents foggy situations and unsafe driving for the students or bus drivers, then those are the times we'll call those delay situations."
He added most students do bring bottles of water that they can fill up at various school fill-up stations.
"We do have bottle-filling stations throughout all of our school buildings, so we definitely encourage them to stay hydrated," he said.
File Photo/The Daily Standard
In this file photo from August 2022, Celina High School football players stay hydrated during practice with a cold drink of water.
For older citizens in the area, Mercer County Council on Aging Director Sharon Green recommended they stay inside this week to avoid hot temperatures.
"Stay inside when it's really hot, and drink lots of fluids," she said. "If they need to go out, go out early in the morning."
She said if citizens don't have air conditioning, they can come to the Mercer County Council on Aging for respite.
Area officials agree it's key for people to recognize the signs of heat illnesses and take appropriate action.
A heat stress injury occurs when the body cannot regulate its temperature, according to a news release from OSU Extension. When the body works correctly, it is self-cooled by perspiration.
When the body's temperature rises faster than it can cool itself, the core temperature begins to rise quickly and can result in heat-related injuries.
Signs of heat illness can include headache, nausea, weakness, dizziness, elevated body temperature, thirst, decreased urine output and heavy sweating or hot, dry skin, according to the release. Signs of a potential medical emergency include abnormal thinking or behavior, slurred speech, seizures or loss of consciousness.
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
Shannon Skiver, Celina, takes a walk near Grand Lake under the scorching sun.
Heat exhaustion is most common in hot weather and is characterized by heavy sweating, clammy skin, muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness, headaches, nausea and a fast, weak pulse, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
Heat stroke is a potentially life-threatening condition marked by a body temperature of 103 degrees or higher; red, hot and dry skin with no sweating; rapid pulse; headaches; dizziness; nausea; confusion; unconsciousness and gray skin color.
Steps to prevent heat illness include drinking water every 20 minutes, taking breaks in shady or cool locations and wearing a wide-brimmed hat and light-colored, loose-fitting breathable clothes, per the release.
