The last week of winter will be marked by a heat wave that will hit most of the country. The forecast is for temperatures above 42ºC in some locations from Friday (22). Winter ends on Saturday (23), and spring begins.
The areas that are expected to have record temperatures are the Central-West, North and interior of São Paulo. In the capital of São Paulo, for example, thermometers are expected to reach more than 35ºC at the end of the week, according to forecasts from the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet).
On Monday morning (18), Inmet already issued a heat wave danger alert until 6pm on Friday. This warning occurs when maximum temperatures exceed the historical average for the period by at least 5ºC.
“It is worth highlighting that the intensity of the warning is related to the persistence of the phenomenon (number of consecutive days) and not to the absolute temperature deviations themselves”, explains Inmet.
The notice will be reevaluated daily, according to the institute.
The heat wave is associated with low levels of relative humidity, increasing the likelihood of fires in the Southeast and Center-West, regions that are still in the dry period.
What is a heat wave? The heat wave occurs because of dry weather and a drop in atmospheric pressure, which prevents the formation of clouds and wards off the advance of cold fronts.
“The heat wave is promoted by predominantly dry weather conditions, with increased insolation, and favored by atmospheric subsidence – when the atmospheric pressure between the average levels and the surface increases, inhibiting the development of cloud cover, also increasing the temperature of the air mass”, informs Inmet.
What happens to the body when it’s too hot?
When exposed to very hot temperatures, the human body tries to cool itself. However, if the body cannot do this, the body can reach heat exhaustion. The main symptoms are dizziness, headache, excessive sweating and fatigue. Heatstroke may also occur, in which case medical help should be sought.
In extreme cases, the patient may suffer organ failure and even death.
Care
Anyone is subject to suffering from the impacts of heat. However, children, the elderly, bedridden people, chronically ill people and pregnant women are vulnerable.
Some measures can alleviate and avoid complications:
– Drink more water and fluids. The ideal is to drink a glass of water per hour or 2 to 3 liters per day;
– cool off with wet wipes, spray or wet cloths on your face;
– try to stay in cool, shady places;
– avoid exercising during the hottest times;
– wear light clothing;
– frequently check the health status of elderly people over 65 years of age, especially those with heart disease, lung and kidney problems;
– in case of intense discomfort, seek a doctor.
* With information from UN News and Agência Brasil
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