Hot Enough For You?

Temperatures hovered in the 80's Wednesday morning and early afternoon in Clinton, but if felt much hotter with high humidity levels, prompting local residents to seek relief in the shade and indoors.

Wednesday afternoon, state officials declared an "excessive heat watch" in effect for Thursday and Friday for a large area of central and northern Connecticut.

"The first significant heat wave of the summer is forecast to begin tomorrow afternoon and continue through Saturday afternoon. Temperatures are forecast to reach near 100 F by Thursday afternoon and into the mid to upper 90’s on Friday and Saturday afternoon with increasing humidity," said the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. "The combination of heat and humidity will result in very dangerous conditions for the elderly, young children, and those persons with respiratory conditions. Heat indexes (the apparent feel of the temperature) may range between 100 - 110 F at times Thursday afternoon and again on Friday afternoon. In addition overnight lows in the larger urban centers may not fall much below 80 degrees Thursday night and Friday night presenting a continued danger for those without air conditioning or proper ventilation."

Ways to beat the heat

Head to the

Head to the and Esposito Beach

Head indoors to the and pick out a book for the beach

Grab an icecream cone at or

Elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone forecast as well

State officials also said the air quality Thursday and Friday will be unhealthy due to elevated concentrations of ground-lelevel ozone.

"The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has forecasted unhealthy air quality due to elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone pollution throughout all of Connecticut for Thursday, July 21, 2011 and Friday July 22, 2011."

"A forecast of “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” (Code Orange) has been issued due to high concentrations of ground-level ozone for Thursday, July 21, 2011 and possible “Unhealthy” levels (Code Red) by Friday July 22, 2011 when the core of hottest air mass moves into the region."

Other parts of the country suffering from deadly high heat

Other parts of the country are suffering from deadly high heat and humidity, with the National Weather Service reporting as many as 13 deaths related to the heat wave.

"After several days of deadly heat and humidity — with as many as 13 fatalities potentially related to the heat wave in the Midwest — relief will finally come later today and tomorrow in the form of a cold front currently moving across Montana, which will significantly drop temperatures across the north central U.S. for the rest of the week, though locations across the central and southern Plains and parts of the Midwest will not see much change from the extended period of heat," the National Weather Service said.

The NWS also said that the heat wave has started to expand eastward, and temperatures in the mid-90s will be possible across the Mid-Atlantic states Wednesday. The NWS also said "triple-digit temperatures are forecast to remain in place across the eastern U.S. through Saturday before cooling off slightly to the mid-90s by Sunday."

Immediate forecast for Clinton calls for high temps in the mid- to high-80's

The National Weather Forecast for Clinton for the next few days is as follows:

Tonight: Areas of fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Thursday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 88. South wind between 7 and 16 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind between 11 and 14 mph becoming light.

Friday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. West wind between 5 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Northwest wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Saturday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Gov. Malloy urges residents to take precautions, call 2-1-1 if they need information on cooling centers near their city of town.

With an excessive heat watch issued for most of the state for the next three days and the heat index possibly reaching as high as 110 degrees, Governor Dannel P. Malloy is asking people to take precautions and to call 2-1-1 if they need information on cooling centers in their town or city.

“We are asking the public to take precautions during this heat wave. The combination of heat and humidity will result in poor air quality and dangerous conditions for the elderly, young children, and those people with respiratory conditions,” said Governor Malloy said in a prepared release. “Drinking lots of water and taking cool showers can help lower body temperature, and residents of all ages should call 2-1-1 to find a place to cool down should they need to.  For those with elderly neighbors, please consider checking in on them during this extreme heat as well.”

“Hot and sticky weather is a part of life in Connecticut during the summer months, but the combination of high temperatures and high levels of humidity we’ll be experiencing over the next few days can be downright dangerous,” said Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Rueben F. Bradford said in a prepared release. “Limit your outdoor exposure, and if you do need to go outside, make sure to wear sunscreen and drink lots of water. We’re also reminding people to avoid leaving children, pets or those who require special care in a parked car or vehicle during periods of intense summer heat.”

 “Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Jewel Mullen. “It’s important to regularly check on infants and young children, people aged 65 or older, and others who you know may be at greatest risk due to the heat.” 

 2-1-1 is continually updating the list of available cooling centers. Dial 2-1-1 or search www.211ct.org to find a center.

Tips from the state Department of Public Health on how to beat heat safely

The state Department of Public Health released these tips on how to beat the heat safely:

With temperatures across the state expected to be well into the 90s this week, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) are urging people to protect themselves during the extreme heat and seek out options to cool down within their communities.

Many towns and cities have established cooling centers to help their residents get relief from the heat. The public can dial 2-1-1 to find a cooling center in their area. State officials are asking municipalities to report their cooling centers to 2-1-1 immediately once they open so residents can be kept up-to-date.

“Extreme hot weather can be very dangerous, especially for the elderly, young children, and those who work outdoors,” said DPH Commissioner Dr. Jewel Mullen. “It’s important that people take frequent breaks when doing heavy outdoor work during high heat days. Drink a lot of fluids, stay indoors or in the shade when it’s most hot, and wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing to beat the heat.”

“While pools, lakes and beaches are a great way to cool off from the heat, it’s important that people are careful and take safety precautions in and around water,” said Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford. “We also remind people to never keep children or pets in closed or locked vehicles and to check on elderly neighbors and loved ones, especially in extreme heat.”

The Departments of Public Health and Emergency Services and Public Protection offered the following safety tips:

• Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him/her how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
• Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the movies, shopping mall, public library, or a friend’s house/apartment with air conditioning–even a few hours spent in an air conditioned environment can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
• If you must be out in the heat, limit your outdoor activity to early morning and evening hours. 
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

Particularly with regard to pool and swimming safety, the following tips are important:

• Never leave children (even those who can swim) unattended in, around or near pools or other water sources – not even for a few moments. A child can drown in the moment it takes to answer a phone.
• Never swim alone. Use the buddy system and maintain eye contact.
• Keep pool area locked and secure when not in use.
• Swim only in supervised and approved areas.
• Keep rescue equipment near the pool. Have emergency flotation devices and a phone near the pool.
• Enforce water safety rules. No running, pushing or dunking.
• Learn CPR and water rescue techniques.
• Have a professional inspect all entrapment hazards in the pool, including the pump and drain.
• Know and mark the location of the electrical cut-off switch for the pool pump.

Keep Cool Clinton!