Extreme Heat Incoming! Have A Plan To Keep You & Those You Care For Safe!

DANGEROUS HEAT POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND/EARLY NEXT WEEK!!

Once again, we need to highlight that NOW is the time to begin preparing for extreme heat. Short-term model guidance is now coming in and is depicting conditions that will promote heat index values (feels like temperatures) over 100°F for several days. If you are a sports team administrator, outdoor job site supervisor, business owner, coach, public safety/government official, or school administrator, this post goes out to you especially! We are still about 24 hours out from dangerous heat, so now is the time to consider what steps you should take to mitigate the risk of heat-related illnesses! These are also just good tips for EVERYONE to start thinking about!

1. Reschedule outdoor activities like yard work, landscaping, sporting events, beach trips, etc.,

2. Make plans to remain indoors, in the A/C, as much as possible and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure.,

3. If you do not have access to A/C you should begin looking for local cooling shelters. If you do, it's a good idea to have a plan in case you lose power or you're A/C goes down. Many times during heat waves, there are strong thunderstorms which could knock out power or, an increased demand on the electrical grid, which can cause blackouts.,

4. Have a plan to check on your friends, neighbors, and relatives. Especially those who are considered "vulnerable" to the extreme heat.,

5. Have a plan to stay well hydrated and wear loose-fitting clothing.,

6. Remain alert for future forecast updates, and possible warnings and advisories from the National Weather Service!

An Extreme Heat Watch is in effect for the vast majority of our area through Tuesday, June 24 at 8:00 PM. Dangerously hot conditions are expected with a significant increase in the risk for heat-related illness. Stay tuned for possible upgrades to advisories and/or warnings!

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"It's summer! It's supposed to be hot!"

Here at West Michigan Weather, we've been hearing that a lot lately, and we wanted to take a minute to address it. Yes, you are correct; it is summer, and it is supposed to be hot. This heat wave isn't anything we haven't seen before.

That's all well and good, but did you know, extreme heat CONTINUES to be the #1 cause of weather-related DEATHS in Michigan and in the US every year!?

It's true, according to NOAA, heat was the #1 cause of weather-related fatalities in the US in 2024 and has been for the last 30+ years!

So, for those of you who are just batting an eye at the messaging about the extreme heat, we hope this gives you just a little bit of an inside look at why we get so worried about the heat when we start to see heat indices over 95°F and that maybe, just maybe, you can help protect yourself and those around you by staying cool, hydrated, and checking on those you care for!