Birmingham Under Heat Advisory

With temperatures expected to climb into the 90s today and tomorrow, Birmingham and all surrounding areas are under a heat advisory until midnight Wednesday.

Heat index values will range from 95 -100 today and 93-98 Wednesday. Overnight low temperatures will only drop to the low 70s, providing little relief from the daytime heat, the National Weather Service reported this morning.

Strenuous outdoor activity could lead to heat injuries such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion or heat cramps.

People prone to heat stress – such as the very young, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions – could suffer, especially where no shade or air conditioning is available.

What to do? Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room and stay out of the sun. Children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. And it's a good idea to check on relatives and neighbors periodically. 

The best advice to avoid heat-related illness: “Drink plenty of fluids, come in right away if you are not feeling well and do not overexert yourself,” Dr. Jeffrey Ditkoff, an Emergency Center physician at , said when we had our most recent heat advisory a week ago today.

Early signs of heat-related illness are pretty nonspecific, Ditkoff said, such as nausea, vomiting, headache and general malaise. These are pretty general symptoms, but when there is a heat advisory, "We will be looking at these kinds of symptoms with with heat-related illness in the forefront of our minds," he said.

Signs of more severe heat illness include confusion, disorientation, loss of consciousness and seizure, he said.  “The most susceptible are the very young, the very old and those with underlying illnesses, like cancer or kidney failure,” he said.

“Most important is to be very well hydrated – before an activity, during and after,” Ditkoff said. “Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can act as diuretics and worsen dehydration.”

There is no specific amount to drink, but Ditkoff said urine is a good indicator if someone might be dehydrated. “If urine is dark, that’s a sign of dehydration," he said.