Just over a week after the summer solstice, Mother Nature is reminding us of the annual event as she is turning up the temperature for the better part of Ohio.

Other wide swathes across Midwest and South are also feeling the heat, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Wilmington.

The orange areas in the NWS map accompanying this article, which includes Logan County, are under a heat warning through 8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, with daytime heat index values – a combination of air temperature and relative humidity – expected to reach into the triple digits.

Extreme heat warnings, which are shown in purple on the map, include several northwestern counties in Ohio and cuts across large parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, western Michigan and almost the entire state of Iowa, as well as many other states on both sides of the Mississippi River. 

The NWS notes that extreme heat kills more Americans each year than do cold temperatures, hurricanes, tornado and lighting combined. The heat wave that is currently punishing Western Europe right now has already claimed over 1,000 lives. 

Common sense is your best friend in dealing with these temperatures. Stay inside in air conditioning (if possible), limit any outside activities to an absolute minimum, wear light, loose fitting clothing if you must be outside and stay hydrated.

Avoid alcohol – it suppresses the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) which regulates your bodily fluids – and check up on your elderly neighbors.

Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion 

The Cleveland Clinic website says that heat “exhaustion” and heat “stroke” are not actually two different medical conditions, but rather a progression of one.

But using your common sense and knowing how the condition progresses can end up saving a life, maybe even your own.

While heat exhaustion is no piece of cake, it can quickly escalate into heat stroke, which is an emergency medical situation. If you suspect that someone is suffering from heat stroke, call 911 immediately. 

Know the signs and symptoms of heat-released illnesses. Don’t become a statistic.

Heat Exhaustion Signs and Symptoms:

High body temperature

Rapid breathing and heart rate

Muscle cramps

Headache

Dizziness/lightheadedness

Pale skin

Nausea/vomiting

Weakness/fatigue

Heat Stroke Signs and Symptoms:

Confusion/agitation/altered mental state

Inability to sweat

Dry, red skin

Weak, rapid pulse

Seizures 

Extreme dizziness or fainting

Nausea/vomiting

Extremely high body temperature (104 degrees or above)