Heat Wave #2

I'm sure most, if not all, of you have heard the saying, "If you don't like the weather in Oklahoma, just wait 5 minutes." Well, I sure wish that were true this time of year. Our second significant heat wave of this summer is underway, and somehow it seems to be of little comfort to keep comparing it to last year. With triple digits in the forecast for at least the next week across most of the state it is important to remember that heat is the number one weather killer. Not tornadoes, not hurricanes, and not blizzards, but heat is our biggest foe.

Why is it that heat is so deadly? Unfortunately it has a lot more to do with psychology than it does the nature of the weather itself. Heat takes a toll on our bodies long before we recognize it, which is why it is so crucial to stay hydrated if you have to be outside during the middle of the day. Frequent breaks in the shade are a must. Heat also takes a particularly tough toll on pets and the elderly. Please check on both often this time of year.

Finally, while I don't necessarily love heat waves like this one, they definitely remind me of how much I enjoy spring and fall. I suppose I would be guilty of taking mild weather for granted if I never endured the hot or cold. Besides, who wants to go to the pool or the lake in February anyway! The beauty of working in meteorology here in Oklahoma is that just about the time I'm tired of one thing I know something else will be right on it's heels. Now if we could just get that 5-minute thing to work!