Nearly 100 million Americans are under some sort of heat advisory on Friday as a massive heat wave continues to dominate the weather in the U.S.
Among the areas under a heat advisory on Friday is Dallas, where officials confirmed that a man in his 60s died this week from a heat-related illness. The man had no known preexisting medical conditions, the Dallas County Health and Human Services said.
“We are very saddened to report our first confirmed heat-related death this season,” said Dr. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services. “As high temperatures continue to impact North Texas, DCHHS urges residents to take this tragic incident as a reminder to prioritize heat safety and protect themselves and others—especially older adults, children, and individuals with chronic health conditions.”
The heat index is expected to hit 107 in Dallas on Friday.
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A heat-related death was also reported in Peoria, Illinois, earlier this week. Tyrone Smith, a 61-year-old man from Chicago, was found unresponsive on a bench. He was taken to the hospital as his initial body temperature was 110 degrees. He later died.
Temperatures reached 93 degrees in Peoria on Wednesday.
St. Louis is under an extreme heat warning as the heat index there is expected to exceed 105 degrees.
Many major cities in the Northeast are under heat advisories, including Boston, New York, Washington and Baltimore. Philadelphia is under an extreme heat warning. The heat index could top 105 in these regions on Friday.
The Dallas County Health and Human Services provided the following advice to beat the heat:
- Stay hydrated. Drinking water every hour when it’s hot outside and even when you are not thirsty
- Avoid alcohol on hot days
- Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing and limit outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day (usually 3–7 p.m.).
- Stay in air-conditioned indoor locations. If you must be outside, take frequent breaks in the shade
- Never leave people or pets in a parked car
