Heat Advisory in Effect Today

The National Weather Service-Buffalo Forecast Office issued a heat advisory until 8 p.m. today, July 14, for all counties in western and northern Central New York. Oswego County officials urge people to remain vigilant of the forecast this week and plan activities accordingly.

“We’re dealing with a real ‘mixed bag’ of health and safety hazards this week due to the weather,” said Oswego County Deputy Emergency Management Director Tyler Peet. “Dangerously high temperatures and heat index values are forecast with the highest ‘feels-like’ temperatures in the mid- to upper-90s, possibly even 100s. Overnight temperatures will remain warm, providing people with little relief from the heat and humidity.”

He is joined by Oswego County Public Health Director Vera Dunsmoor and Oswego County Office for the Aging Director Sara Sunday in warning people that high heat and humidity significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, especially among vulnerable populations.

“People should be aware of the warning signs of heat-related illness such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion,” Dunsmoor noted. “Those who experience, or are with someone who experiences, symptoms of heat-related illness should call ‘9-1-1’ or seek medical care immediately.”

Sunday asks residents to be sure to “check on family, neighbors and anyone who might be vulnerable to the heat, especially children and older adults.”

Dunsmoor added that pets are also susceptible to heat. “Make sure your pets have plenty of shade and water. Most importantly, never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle, even for a few minutes, even with a window open,” she said.

Oswego County offers an online map where people can find places to cool off. It includes cooling centers along with sprinklers, splash pads and public water access. Click on “Beat the Heat” to go directly to the map or “Cooling Centers” on the Oswego County Health Department’s website for details. Call the Oswego County Emergency Management Office at 315-591-9150 or the Oswego County Health Department at 315-349-3545 for more information.

To avoid life-threatening heat illnesses, people are advised to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. Limit alcohol and caffeine and spend as much time as possible in air-conditioned spaces during extremely hot weather.

Other precautions include dressing in lightweight and light-colored clothing; taking a cool shower or bath; eating light, easy-to-digest foods; and avoiding over-exertion when working or exercising outdoors.

The New York State Weather Risk Communication Center out of the University at Albany also issued a weather brief about severe thunderstorms with strong wind gusts tonight and the potential for degraded air quality due to Canadian wildfire smoke moving in this week.

“We encourage people to check the air quality index and keep health conditions in mind while planning outdoor activities this week,” said Dunsmoor. “Residents who are more sensitive to particle pollution can limit their exposure by avoiding strenuous outdoor activities or keeping those activities short.”

Peet also warns people to pay attention to alerts and warnings in the event of severe thunderstorms and potentially damaging winds.

People can also sign up for real-time weather alerts from the National Weather Service by downloading the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s app from Google Play or the Apple App Store. They can also go to www.alert.ny.gov to sign up for NY Alerts or text “Oswego” to ‘3-3-3-1-1-1’ for updates.

Don’t forget to monitor the air quality status where you live by going to https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Oswego&state=NY&country=USA.

Get more tips about managing extreme heat at www.ready.gov/heat or go to Oswego County’s latest news release.