CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The heat is here, this week we are in weather alert mode, meaning you need to make sure you're keeping cool. This heat can be deadly.
THE QUESTION:
Is heat the leading weather-related killer in the U.S.?
OUR SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
Yes, heat is the leading weather-related killer in the U.S.
WHAT WE FOUND:
According to the CDC, around 618 people are killed yearly by extreme heat.
"Heat is the number one killer and it's one of those killers people don’t realize," Mulcahy said.
Someone experiencing heat stroke will have symptoms that include a high body temperature, an altered mental state, nausea, rapid breathing, a racing heart rate, and a headache.
Chris tells us that's why it's so important to be aware when we have these high-temperature days.
"That’s why whenever we have those heat advisories or excessive heat warnings. The temperatures are how we feel we really can't sweat anymore so our body temps start to rise," Mulcahy said.
The CDC said the people most at risk for heat-related illness or death are older adults, young children, and people with chronic disease and mental illness. So the best thing to do on these dog days of summer?
"Chill out. It is way too hot to do a lot of things," Mulcahy said. "The lawn can wait. Keep things to the morning, keep things to the evening."
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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