Heat wave scorches Europe as UK reaches record-breaking temperatures

Vehicles burned by fires in the d

Belgium has issued a national “code yellow” storm alert for “unstable” weather and thunderstorms as temperatures begin to fall, following the country recording its second hottest day on Tuesday. 

In Belgium, a “code yellow” alert encourages citizens to be on alert for damages and disruptions due to storms.  

The Belgian Royal Meteorological Institute (KMI/IRM) advised in a statement that the country should expect thunderstorms and showers between overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning, but warned that in the afternoon and evening, showers will become more active and in some areas a lot of precipitation could fall.  

Belgian authorities have also re-activated the country’s special “1722” emergency hotline for non-life-threatening issues caused by storms and flooding, which includes downed power lines, flooded roads or fallen trees.  

On Tuesday, Belgium recorded its second-highest temperature of 39.1 degrees Celsius (102.38 degrees Fahrenheit) in the town of Kleine-Brogel near the Dutch border, head of forecasting at KMI/IRM, David Dehenauw, said.  

Firefighters at the scene of a blaze in the village of Wennington, located in east London, England, on Tuesday, July 19.

London’s firefighters faced one of their toughest days ever on Tuesday as several fires and record-breaking temperatures stretched their resources to the limit, Jonathan Smith, the assistant commissioner at the London Fire Brigade, told CNN’s Sara Sidner in an interview.

“This has been an unprecedented day in the history of the London Fire Brigade where we’ve been subjected to extremes of heat and temperature that have caused a number of weather-related incidents,” Smith said. 

The fire brigade official said firefighters had brought several significant incidents under control and hoped the British capital was “over the worst of it.”

Smith described how the fires stretched the firefighters’ resources across the city and said they were now focused on planning for the next two days.

Watch the interview with Jonathan Smith here:

Video Ad Feedback

967718ce-4946-414f-aada-b0fcd637f7a1.mp4

02:46 - Source: cnn

A man cools himself in a fountain at Trafalgar Square in London, England, on Tuesday, July 19.

Temperatures in the UK exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time on Tuesday, making it the country’s hottest day on record.

Prior to 2019, the UK had only seen a city exceed 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) one time in August 2003. 

Since then, it has happened four times in four years. So what was before thought of as impossible, or maybe a one-in-100-year heat event, is now happening almost annually. 

Stephen Belcher, the UK Met Office’s chief scientist, and Professor Paul Davies, the Met Office’s chief meteorologist, said there are three things that are making these conditions possible.

The first is a so-called “wavenumber 5 pattern,” Belcher, Davies and the Met Office said in a blog post on Tuesday. The wavenumber 5 pattern describes “the difference in surface temperature from their average values.” It shows that there is a wave-like pattern around the Northern Hemisphere with five regions of high-pressure, they explained, adding that these are the places likely to experience heat waves. The wavenumber 5 pattern also explains why it’s possible to have concurrent heat waves around the world, Met Office scientists said.

The Met Office says climate change, the second factor, also plays a role. Belcher and Davies wrote in the blog post that temperatures in the UK are “unprecedented in recorded history.”

Belcher and Davies said climate change is mostly driven by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Hotter conditions are a result of these gases combining with atmospheric circulation patterns — like the wavenumber 5 pattern, according to the Met Office.

The third factor that is contributing to the extreme heat is environmental and soil conditions, Belcher and Davies said.

“It has been a dry year over many parts of England. When the sun shines on the ground, dry soils cannot release energy through evaporation of moisture, which means that more of the sun’s energy goes into heating the air, further amplifying the temperatures in the UK,” the blog said, adding that climate scientists call this the soil moisture feedback.

The consequences: The UK is woefully unprepared for the impacts of the climate crisis. It struggles to manage floods when they occur. In the heat, the nation buckles.

So many fires ignited in London on Tuesday that the city’s fire brigade declared a “major incident” and were stretched beyond their capacity. At least four people have drowned as people flocked to beaches, rivers and lakes just to try to get cool. Even a runway at an airport on London’s outskirts had to be closed off as it melted in the heat.

CNN’s Brandon Miller contributed reporting to this post.

People escape the heatwave by taking a barbecue in a river near the village of Luss in Argyll and Bute on the west bank of Loch Lomond, Scotland, Monday, July 18.

Scotland has seen a new provisional record temperature, after 34.8 degrees Celsius (94.6 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded in Charterhall in the Scottish Borders on Tuesday, according to the Met Office.

The previous record of 32.9 degrees Celsius (91.2 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded in Greycrook, in the Scottish Borders, on August 9, 2003. 

Heat alerts were posted for at least 21 different countries in Europe on Tuesday.

Crippling heat is prompting a pool hour extension in Toronto and an emergency heat declaration in Boston. 

Toronto is extending pool hours in at least seven locations until 11:45 p.m. local time the city said in a news release. The hour extensions are an effort to keep residents cool, the city said. 

Just after noon local time, Canada issued a heat warning for Toronto, saying, “hot and humid conditions are expected” Tuesday and Wednesday. Temperatures in Toronto could reach 87 degrees Fahrenheit (30.5 degrees Celsius), the country said.   

The warning also told residents to “seek a cool place such as a tree-shaded area, swimming pool, shower or bath, or air-conditioned spot like a public building.” 

Toronto isn’t the only Northeast city suffering from sweltering temperatures. 

Boston mayor Michelle Wu declared a heat emergency for Tuesday through Thursday. 

“We’re working quickly to make sure all of our Boston residents and families are protected during this week’s extreme weather,” Wu said. 

Boston is providing residents with cooling kits to help get by, a release said.  

Those experiencing homelessness can reach out to the city to find a shelter equipped with food, water and “a cool respite from the heat.” 

The release also reminded people to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity, and use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.  

Firefighters evacuate an elderly woman from her house in Penteli, Greece, on Tuesday, July 19.

A large wildfire has broken out on the slopes of Mount Penteli in Greece, near residential areas in the northern outskirts of Athens.

The fire that started after 5 p.m. local time burning through low vegetation expanded quickly and is still not under control and has prompted authorities to order residents of at least four residential areas to evacuate for safety reasons.

Greek Fire Service spokesperson Ioannis Artopoios said that 78 firefighters with 22 fire engines, 11 aircraft and five helicopters are battling the fire.

At least 28 Romanian firefighters are also assisting to take out the fire.

Artopoios told Greek Public Broadcaster ERT that the fire is “difficult” adding that “we are doing our best to contain it.”

Steam leaves a cooling tower of the Lichterfelde gas-fired power plant in Berlin, Germany, on March 30.

This week’s extreme heat and fires come just weeks after European Union lawmakers voted in favor of calling natural gas a “green” or “sustainable” source of energy — a decision that has spurred criticism from scientists and environmental advocates.

The new rules, if accepted by member states, could unlock billions of dollars of private investment and state subsidies for natural gas and nuclear projects. The European Commission has argued that natural gas — a fossil fuel primarily made of methane, a significant contributor to the climate crisis — plays a key role in transitioning to renewable energy, angering climate activists and some lawmakers.

Natural gas typically emits less carbon dioxide than coal, but critics argue more focus should be place on boosting renewable energy, and that supporting new gas projects will only prolong the life of the fossil fuel.

While the proposal came months before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it gained momentum after the EU responded to the war by banning Russian energy sources such as coal and oil, which European countries have been highly dependent on.

The EU has vowed to cut planet-heating emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 and become a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050.

Net zero is where emissions are dramatically reduced, and any that remain are offset, whether using natural methods like tree planting or technology to “capture” emissions. The effectiveness of such technology is currently limited.

Climate and energy advocates say this month’s decision will instead hinder Europe’s green transition.

Read more here.

Smoke from fires were being fought by fire services in Wennington, Greater London, England on July 19.

Record-setting temperatures in the United Kingdom are also creating weather-related incidents probably never before seen on this scale, according to London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Smith.

Speaking on Sky News on Tuesday, Smith said that the service is dealing with “a number of significant and major incidents from grassland fires to significant property fires.”

“The ground is tinder box dry, so any small spark is then going to cause the potential for significant fire,” he continued.

“We do have rehearsed and practiced plans in place to be able to make sure that we’re prioritizing our resources,” Smith added. 

Earlier on Tuesday, London’s Fire Commissioner had called for “an urgent barbecue ban” as firefighters continue to feel the effects of unprecedented heatwave temperatures for a second day.

Damage at "Les Flots Bleus" camping on Tuesday, July 19, which has been ravaged by a wildfire in Pyla sur Mer in Gironde, located in southwestern France. 

Local officials are putting pressure on French President Emmanuel Macron over his handling of the wildfires as they continue to spread across the country.

“France only has 12 Canadairs [firefighting planes] … We need a more substantial fleet and a better territorial distribution,” Jean-Luc Gleyze and Xavier Fortinos, presidents of the departments of Gironde and neighboring Landes, said in an open letter to Macron published on French newspaper Le Figaro on Tuesday.

Gironde is the epicenter of the current wave of wildfires in France. 

At least 19,300 hectares (more than 47000 acres) of land have been burned by Tuesday afternoon according to the Gironde Prefecture. That’s nearly twice the surface of Paris, which covers 10,540 hectares (more than 26,000 acres) of land according to the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.

Meanwhile, wildfires continue to pop up across the country as France sees 20 new fires every day, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told the French National Assembly on Tuesday.

“Many of them are extinguished before they reach 5 hectares (more than 12 acres), but some are extremely substantial and are killing biodiversity,” Darmanin said.

There are contently five major wildfires across France, three in the southwest, one in the west and one in the south, Darmanin said.

About 45,000 people have been forced to leave their homes throughout France since the fires first broke out but so far no death has been reported. One person has been arrested as the potential arsonist of the main fire raging in the southwestern Gironde department, according to Darmanin.

A dog refreshes with water jets in Brest, located in western France, on Monday, July 18.

Keeping cool in hot weather is challenging for humans. What about our pets?

In the United Kingdom, where temperatures hit a record high on Tuesday, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the British Veterinary Association recommend taking the following steps to ensure your dog, cat or other pet is safe during hot weather.

What not to do:

What to do:

Read more here.

Heat advisories are in effect tomorrow for the Northeast region of the US, including New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia.

“Oppressive heat and humidity returns this week,” the Boston National Weather Service tweeted. Heat index values — the temperature it feels like when heat is combined with humidity — could top 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius) in some areas, generating dangerous conditions for Mid-Atlantic and New England residents. The heat and humidity won’t just hug the coast. Upstate New York could also see temperatures well above average.

Albany, New York is soaring above their average of 84 degrees Fahrenheit (28.8 degrees Celsius) for this time of year, and the city could near its record of 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36.1 degrees Celsius) tomorrow with the stifling heat.

To make matters worse, humidity combined with heat will make some areas feel 5-10 degrees hotter. “This is going to be little bit (warmer) than just the typical hot and humid weather that we get in July,” Mike Evans, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Albany, New York, told CNN.

Evans said dew points could push 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1 degrees Celsius) tomorrow, which is when humidity becomes “very noticeable. “Portions of Massachusetts will reach record levels as soon as Wednesday, as temperatures reach the upper 90s, and will continue through the rest of the week in the Northeast.”

The US isn’t likely to see much relief over the next week. The Climate Prediction Center forecasts above average temperatures will likely last well into next week for most of the lower 48.

People cool down in the city center of Cologne, Germany, on July 19.

Germany has recorded the hottest day in 2022, the country’s weather service — the German Weather Service (DWD) — said Tuesday.

”New preliminary German temperature record for the year 2022,” the DWD tweeted on Tuesday.

”The DWD - station in Duisburg-Baerl reported 39.3 °C at 4 pm (16:00 CET),” the tweet went on to say.

Earlier Tuesday, the DWD told CNN that the country is bracing for temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions on Tuesday and Wednesday.

People cool off with a shower during warm weather at Vidy beach on Lake Geneva in Lausanne, Switerland, on Tuesday, June 19.

Models suggest that the heatwave affecting Europe may not end until the middle of next week, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) official Robert Stefanski said Tuesday.

“The question everybody’s asking, looking ahead, ‘when will this end?’ Unfortunately, looking at all the models from our partners at the national and regional level, possibly not until middle of next week,” he said at a news conference.

However, the heat is expected to peak on Tuesday for France, the UK and possibly Switzerland, Stefanski said.

Addressing the temperature records being broken across Europe, Stefanski said that “our concern is that is happening with shorter time periods between these records.”

Speaking at the news conference, WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said that “these heat waves are becoming more frequent because of climate change.”

“These heat waves are having impacts on human health,” he continued. “The same people who have been vulnerable to the Covid pandemic, they are also vulnerable to heat waves. So, we expect to see increased deaths among the old and sick people.” 

A firefighter watches the flames in Louchats as wildfires continue to spread in the Gironde region of southwestern France, on July 17.

Scorching temperatures are sweeping western Europe, with the UK setting an all-time heat record, wildfires raging in France and Spain and a worsening drought in Portugal. At the same time, millions of Americans will see temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius) this week.

If you’re just reading in, here’s what you need to know:

Record-breaking temperatures plague parts of Europe:

The UK has recorded a temperature of 40.3 degrees Celsius (104.54 degrees Fahrenheit) in Lincolnshire, England, according to the Met Office said, provisionally shredding its previous record of 38.7 degrees Celsius (101 degrees Fahrenheit).

Germany is bracing for temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions on Tuesday and Wednesday. The extreme high temperatures will cause drought and dryness in some areas across Germany and the risk of wildfires remains very high, experts say.

Belgium extended a “code red” weather warning to a third region of the country. “There is a sufficient chance that at least 25% of the province will reach 40 degrees,” said the head of forecasting at a Belgian meteorological institute.

A French town of Cazaux recorded 42.4 degrees Celsius (108.3 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday — the hottest it has seen since its weather station first opened more than 100 years ago in 1921 — according to French national meteorological service Météo France.

Sweden issued on Tuesday an orange warning for extremely high temperatures of around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southern part of the country for Wednesday and Thursday.

Hundreds have died in Portugal, where sweltering temperatures exacerbate a severe drought with the health ministry saying at least 659 mainly elderly people had died in the previous seven days, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile in the US, around a third of the population is under a heat alert on Tuesday and Wednesday as dangerous heat peaks today and tomorrow over much of the country. Nearly 20% of the US population, or about 60 million people, will likely see a temperature at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius) this week. Among the hardest-hit areas are in the Southern Plains, including Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, where intense heat will stick around until at least Tuesday.

Fires are raging with the risk of spreading further:

“Very Extreme Danger” of fire – the highest level of risk on the Fire Weather Index (FWI) scale – is forecast in Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom on Tuesday, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

A third wildfire broke out in the Gironde region of western France, prompting the evacuation of 500 more people, according to the prefecture of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Gironde. A total of 19,300 hectares (more than 47,000 acres) had already been burned by the two other fires in the Gironde. In total, 37,000 people have been evacuated.

In Spain, wildfires swept the central region of Castile and Léon, as well as the northern region of Galicia Sunday, Reuters reported.

At least two people have died and about 8,000 people have been evacuated so far as wildfires scorch areas across Spain, according to a government spokesperson. More than 70,000 hectares (more than 172,000 acres) have been destroyed in Spain because of fires this year, authorities say.

The London Fire Brigade has declared a “major incident” as firefighters battle several “significant” fires across the British capital on Tuesday during the record-breaking heat wave, it said in a tweet. It comes as around 100 firefighters and 15 fire teams are dealing with fires in an open green in Wennington, outside London, the Fire Brigade said on Twitter.

Severe weather is also disrupting travel:

On Monday, one of the UK’s largest airports suspended flights after high temperatures damaged a runway.

The Royal Air Force also paused all flights to and from Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, its biggest air base, after a report from Sky News suggested part of the runway had “melted.”

Also in London, commuters have been told not to use the city’s transportation services unless for “essential journeys” the Transport for London chief operating officer Andy Lord advised.

Network Rail, which owns and operates Britain’s railway, has asked people not to travel on Tuesday due to the extreme heat.

Spain has also suspended train services in the country’s northwest between Madrid and Galicia due to a fire close to the tracks, according to state-owned rail company RENFE.

The impact of climate change:

These temperatures are astonishing in the UK because they don’t reach this level often, and while they’re not as surprising in Spain, Portugal, and France, they are becoming more frequent and longer even in parts of Europe accustomed to dealing with heat.

Human-induced climate change is, in general, making the world hotter, extreme heat more likely and heatwaves more painfully long. Scientists in the business of attributing the role of the climate crisis to extreme weather now say it can be assumed that any heatwave has been made worse by climate change, primarily caused by humans burning fossil fuels.

London Fire Brigade has declared a “major incident” as firefighters battle several “significant” fires across the British capital on Tuesday during a record-breaking heat wave, it said in a tweet.

It comes as around 100 firefighters and 15 fire teams are dealing with fires in an open green in Wennington, outside London, the Fire Brigade said on its Twitter account. 

Aerial footage broadcast by SkyNews shows the flame very close to a residential area in Wennington. 

Earlier on Tuesday, London’s Fire Commissioner had called for “an urgent barbecue ban” as firefighters continue to feel the effects of unprecedented heatwave temperatures for a second day. 

For the first time ever, 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) have provisionally been exceeded in the UK, the Met Office said on its verified Twitter account. 

 See the London Fire Brigade’s tweet:

Heat warnings are in effect Tuesday in at least 21 countries, stretching from Ireland to Greece, according to Meteoalarm, an integration of European national weather services and part of the Network of European Meteorological Services.

Several countries, including the UK, Belgium and Poland, have posted their highest level of warnings, advising of dangerous, life-threatening heat.

Here’s a full list of countries with heat-related warnings on Tuesday:

The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) issued on Tuesday an orange warning for extremely high temperatures of around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in northeast Götaland and southern Svealand – the southern part of the country – for Wednesday and Thursday.

The heat will culminate on Thursday, the Institute said in its website.

The Institute — an expert authority under the Ministry of the Environment — also issued yellow warnings for high temperatures of between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius (86 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit) in south central Sweden for the same days. More specifically in inner and eastern Götaland, inner Svealand, southeastern Norrland and on Gotland.

Nearly 20% of the US population, or about 60 million people, will likely see a temperature at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius) this week.

Among the hardest-hit areas are in the Southern Plains, including Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, where intense heat will stick around until at least Tuesday.

July has been trending above average for Texas, and residents are cranking up their air conditioners to stay cool. The power grid has been strained toward peak usage for several weeks as electricity bills continue to skyrocket.

Much of Texas will continue to see record highs every day this week, which will continue to stress the power grid and could lead to rolling blackouts in the coming days.

Temperatures are reaching the triple-digit mark as far as South Dakota, which is 15 degrees above normal.

Rapid City set a new record high on Monday, topping out at 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 degrees Celsius) and breaking a record of 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) set back in 1934. The National Weather Service in Rapid City is telling residents to limit outdoor activities to the early morning or late evening hours.

Read more about this here.

A plane drops water over fires in the Catalonia region countryside in Manresa, Spain, on July 18.

At least two people have died and about 8,000 people have been evacuated so far as wildfires scorch areas across Spain, Isabel Rodríguez, Spain’s government spokesperson, said Tuesday.

Spain currently has 24 active fires. The country has lost 20,000 hectares (49,000 acres) during this second wave and it has lost 70,000 hectares (172,000 acres) this year so far, a figure that is double that of the last decade’s average, the government’s spokesperson explained. 

Spain has faced five consecutive days with high temperatures, Rodríguez said, adding temperatures are set to decrease over the next couple of days.

According to the Carlos III Health Institute, heat-related deaths through Sunday totaled at 679.

A young man pours water over himself to combat the heat on July 12 in Madrid, Spain.

Whether you’re without power, enduring extreme heat or trying to save money, there are ways to feel comfortable without artificial cooling.

Heat can foster fun summer activities, but the body shouldn’t be too hot for too long, as too much heat can harm your brain and other organs, according to the US National Institutes of Health.

Sweating is the body’s natural cooling system, but when that’s not enough, there’s increased risk for developing the heat-related illness hyperthermia — signs of which include heat cramps, heat edema and heat stroke.

Staying cool can be done by using some basic supplies and knowing how to manipulate your home to control its temperatures. Here are 14 methods for doing so.

Stay hydrated

When you’re hot and flushed, hydrating yourself is the first and foremost step to cooling down, said Wendell Porter, a senior lecturer emeritus in agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Florida.

The temperature of the water doesn’t matter since your body will heat it, he added. If your body is suffering from the heat and needs to cool itself, it can’t do that without enough moisture, since the body cools itself by sweating.

Take a cold shower or bath

Taking a cold shower or bath helps cool your body by lowering your core temperature, Porter said.

For an extra cool blast, try peppermint soap. The menthol in peppermint oil activates brain receptors that tell your body something you’re eating or feeling is cold.

Use cold washrags on your neck or wrists

Place a cold washrag or ice bags (packs) on your wrists or drape it around your neck to cool your body. These pulse points are areas where blood vessels are close to the skin, so you’ll cool down more quickly.

Use box fans

Place box fans facing out of the windows of rooms you’re spending time in to blow out hot air and replace it with cold air inside.

Close your curtains or blinds

If you have windows that face the sun’s direction in the morning through afternoon, close the curtains or blinds over them to “keep the sun from coming directly into the house and heating up (the) inside,” Porter said.

You could also install blackout curtains to insulate the room and reduce temperature increases that would happen during the day.

Sleep in breathable linens

Cotton is one of the most breathable materials, so cotton sheets or blankets could help keep you cool through the night. The lower the thread count of the cotton, the more breathable it is, Porter said.

Sleep in the basement

If you can’t sleep through the night because you’re too hot, try sleeping somewhere besides your bedroom, if that’s an option. Heat rises, so if you have a lower or basement level in your home, set up a temporary sleeping area there to experience cooler temperatures at night.

Don’t refrigerate or freeze blankets or clothing

Common advice for staying cool without air conditioning includes refrigerating or freezing wet socks, blankets or clothing then ringing them out to wear while you sleep. But this isn’t a good idea, Porter said.

Because of “the amount of energy they can absorb from your body that night, they will be warm in just a matter of minutes,” he said. “And then you’d have damp stuff that would mold your mattress. So you definitely don’t want to do that.”

Close the doors of unused rooms

If no one’s using a room that doesn’t have vents or registers, close the door to that area to keep the cool air confined to only occupied areas of the house.

Use the exhaust fan in your kitchen and/or bathroom

Flip the switch for the exhaust fan in your kitchen to pull hot air that rises after you cook or in your bathroom to draw out steam after you shower.

Install energy-efficient light bulbs

Incandescent light bulbs generate a higher temperature than LED light bulbs do. To make the switch, watch for sales on energy-efficient bulbs, then slowly replace the bulbs in your house, Porter said.

Switching light bulbs can save money but won’t reduce a lot of heat in the home, Hall said. However, if you focus on switching the bulbs in areas you’re sitting near, that would make a more noticeable difference, Porter said.

Cook in the morning, with a slow cooker or outside

Oven heat can spread throughout your house. Keep the heat centralized in one area, such as a slow cooker. Or, cook outdoors on a grill to keep the heat outside.

Enjoy frozen treats

Eating an ice pop or ice cream to cool down may help for a moment. But don’t go overboard on the sugar if you’re overheated or at risk of being overheated, Porter said.

“Sugar would run your metabolism up and you’d start feeling internally hot,” he said. “So the cool treat might be good, but the extra sugar might not.”

Research what your state offers

If you’ve tried everything and still can’t beat the heat at home, you could look online for any local programs that are offering ductless air conditioners.

Depending on your state, some cooling centers — air-conditioned public facilities where people might go for relief during extremely hot weather — may be open and taking precautions to ensure they’re as safe as possible. You could start by checking with your local utility offices, as they would know who is offering certain programs, Porter recommended.

CNN’s Madeline Holcombe and Holly Yan contributed reporting to this po###Heat##