A senior climatologist with Environment Canada is calling it ‘the first heat wave of the year’ for Windsor-Essex.
Environment Canada has issued a yellow warning for the region due to the heat, with the forecast calling for a high of 31°C today but feeling more like 36°C to 40°C with the humidity.
Senior Climatologist David Phillips told AM800’s The Kyle Horner Show that this really is the first heat wave of the year.
“You’ve had about three days where you’ve had single digits, and the long weekend in May got up to around 32°C. This one we’re seeing three or four days in a row. It’s the duration that can wear you down," he says.
The heat event is expected to continue into Thursday and may even extend into Friday or Saturday.
The forecast is currently calling for a high of 31°C on Thursday, feeling like 40°C with the humidity; a high of 30°C on Friday; and 29°C on Saturday.
There is also a risk of thunderstorms Wednesday evening and overnight into Thursday before ending later Thursday morning.
Phillips says the first one is usually the worst one.
“We just don’t know how to handle it. We still have polar fleece in the front of the closet. We haven’t learned how to make mint julips all over again. The fans are not working; maybe the air conditioning is not. We’re just not acclimatized to it. So, the first one is kind of the worst one,” he says.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit warns that extreme heat is dangerous for everyone, but the health risks related to heat are higher for certain groups, such as seniors, young children, people taking certain medications, and people with chronic conditions.
The health unit recommends a number of measures to fight the heat, which include drinking plenty of water; wearing a wide-brimmed hat and lightweight, loose-fitting clothing if you’re outside; taking a cool bath or shower; limiting outdoor activities to the coolest part of the day; protecting your skin with broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher); and protecting your eyes with sunglasses or prescription eyeglasses with UV-protective lenses.
People are also reminded to keep young children, especially babies, out of very hot weather as much as possible and encourage young children to drink water more often during warmer weather, as they may not realize when they are becoming dehydrated.