Summer will arrive. Forecasts indicate that above-average summer temperatures are likely to return to most of the United States following last year’s record-breaking and fatal heat wave (SN: 12/6/23). This time, however, there will be a single difference: a brand-new web application that employs a five-level color system to map and assess the health danger that heat poses.
“At a press conference introducing the tool, HeatRisk, on April 22, Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that you can enter your zip code and see current heat risk, air quality levels, and a seven-day heat risk forecast for your area.” Thus, you can schedule your day and your week keeping your health in mind.
According to CDC estimates, excessive heat kills about 1,200 Americans annually on average. The head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Rick Spinrad, stated that this is “more than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes combined.” Furthermore, heat-related illnesses are much more common; nearly 120,000 emergency visits were made due to them in the previous year (SN: 9/6/23).
HeatRisk illustrates where rising temperatures are anticipated to exacerbate the negative effects of heat on human health by using temperature projections from NOAA’s National Weather Service and heat and health data from the CDC. It uses a color-coded index to rate risk, with pale green denoting no risk and deep magenta denoting extreme risk. It bases its rating on a number of variables, including the degree of unusual heat for the season, the length of the unusual heat, the possibility of cool nights, and whether or not the heat will be high enough to have an impact on health. The color-coded map allows users to zoom in and see weekly heat projections for their area. The website also offers advice on staying safe and identifying symptoms of heat-related illnesses. There is also a version available in Spanish.
It’s never too early to get ready when it comes to heat, according to Spinrad.
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