MAINE, USA — Double check the AC, find a nice spot on the water, and get ready for a scorcher this weekend.
Tropical humidity and heat return Saturday after a stretch of cooler days. Some spots in Maine have a chance at an official heatwave, with a few inland areas trying to make it into the upper 90s Sunday.
The Forecast:
The best way to introduce the heat potential is with the forecast. Saturday will be noticeably hotter than the last few days, but that's just the start to the hot stretch of weather.
A few spots around Maine might even get an official heatwave, which requires 3 or more days at 90 degrees or higher.
If you factor in the humidity, it will feel even hotter outside. This is especially going to be a problem when the dew points reach the upper 60s and low 70s.
A higher dew point means more moisture is in the air. More moisture affects how efficiently your body can cool itself.
Quick science lesson...when we sweat, the evaporation of the sweat is what cools us off. With more moisture in the air, the evaporation process is slowed down. This is why humidity makes it feel hotter outside.
Take a look at this chart from the National Weather Service.
For reference, a high temperature of 90 degrees with a dew point of 70 degrees means the relative humidity is 52% and it feels like 96 degrees. For some inland areas that jump into the mid 90s, it will feel more like the upper 90s or even low 100s.
Heat Safety:
Since this is one of the hottest stretches so far this year, it's important to go over some heat safety tips for you and your pets.
It's best to try and avoid long periods of strenuous activity, especially when the dew point gets into the 70s.
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Make sure you hydrate. Not just yourself, but your pets too! Bring plenty of water to the beach or the lake.
For pet owners, watch out for asphalt temperatures. A good way to see if it's too hot for your dog's paws is to use the back of your hand. If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for them.
Last, but certainly not least, is to have a way to cool off. If you find yourself at the beach, watch out for riptides. Otherwise, the water is a great escape from the heat, especially if you don't have AC available.
When out and about, keep an eye out for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The guide below tells you the symptoms for each, as well as what to do next should either occur.
Enjoy the weekend. As Keith said yesterday, these are the types of summer weekends we dream of in February.
For the latest on heat potential and other weather ramblings, follow me on Twitter.
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