Stay cool!

Remember when weather forecasters were right only about 30 percent of the time, or so it seemed? Let’s hope those days come back this week.

With a mean look ahead, the weather experts are warning of highs reaching in the hundreds, with a 112-degree high possible next week, and the days between now and at least next Tuesday scorchers. That kind of heat must be taken seriously, and we have advice from health experts on page 5 on what to watch for and how to deal with it.

Unfortunately, in this case, weather forecasters seem to be getting a whole lot better with their predictions, so prepare well and check on your friends and neighbors.

“Extreme heat often results in the highest number of annual deaths among all weather-related hazards,” according to the Grant County Health District.

That’s likely because most of us tend to think a little heat is no big deal. But at a certain point, the body is unable to cool itself as the air becomes hotter than our normal body temperatures, negating the cooling effects of perspiration.

Whatever you do, find a way to stay cooler than that.

If you experience rapid heartbeat, throbbing headache, dry skin, chest pain, mental confusion, irritability, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle cramps, staggering, and/or difficulty breathing, get medical attention immediately.

Scott Hunter

editor and publisher