Central Valley, the coming hot spell is for real. Here are the signs of heat dangers | Opinion

Don’t be lulled into complacency by what has been California’s cool spring. The first heat wave of summer is about to fire up, with high temperatures forecast to dramatically jump well beyond 100 degrees in the Central Valley.

Sacramento kicks off the roasting Thursday with a forecast high of 101. Modesto follows on Friday with a 103 reading, while Fresno jumps from 98 Thursday to 105 on Friday.

Fresno stays blazing hot through the weekend, with temperatures Saturday and Sunday forecast to be 109. Modesto and Sacramento will be only slightly cooler, with highs near or above 105. Things finally cool slightly by the Fourth of July, when it is supposed to be 100 in Fresno, 96 in Modesto and 92 in Sacramento.

Carlos Molina, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Hanford, said what makes the heat wave notable is how fast it will develop.

“It is sudden, especially where we are from near 90 degrees to about 110 — about 15 degrees above where we have been,” he said. “That kind of suddenness catches people off guard.”

Knowing the signs of heat distress can help one avoid debilitating conditions caused by hot weather.

Heat-illness symptoms

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a list of symptoms of heat-related illness:

▪ The initial problem is heat cramps. These usually occur in the abdomen or legs, along with heavy sweating. The CDC says to apply pressure or massage to the cramping muscles and offer water if the person does not have nausea. If cramps last longer than an hour, seek medical attention.

▪ Next is heat exhaustion. It features heavy sweating, along with weakness or fatigue, clammy skin, a fast and weak pulse, cramps, dizziness, nausea or vomiting. To treat, move a person to a cooler location, loosen clothing, apply cool, wet cloths, or put the person in a cool-water bath. Offer sips of water, but if the person vomits or symptoms last more than an hour, get help.

▪ The worse condition is heat stroke. Symptoms are a throbbing headache, confusion, nausea, a body temperature above 103, skin that is hot, red, dry or damp, a rapid and strong pulse, and fainting or other loss of consciousness. A person must be taken to a hospital immediately, as heat stroke can be fatal. Short of that, get the person cooled down in air conditioning with cool cloths or a bath.

Dangers abound

Valley residents are used to hot summers. “Usually by mid-June we already would have hit the first heat wave,” Molina said.

This year, however, brings no time to acclimate.

The heat wave forecast to occur this weekend may be arriving later than usual, yet it will also bring warm nights that won’t provide much relief. Fresno is to be in the mid-70s on Saturday and Sunday nights.

The Central Valley will be in an excessive heat warning for the weekend, so if one must be outdoors, try to limit activity to the morning hours. The hottest part of the day is late afternoon, so stay inside then. Keep a watch over elderly neighbors and check on them if needed; older people are more susceptible to heat illnesses.

Sadly, 11 people had died in Texas as of Wednesday from an intense heat wave that had hit that state. The heat dome that had kept a lid on Texas is to relent a bit this weekend, but then return next week, forecasters said.

Heat is not the only summertime threat. Cold, fast-rushing rivers in the Central Valley can also be life-threatening. Rivers and lakes are cold right now due to all the melting snow in the Sierra that is draining into the Valley, so respect the water. That means not venturing into waterways without proper safety equipment, like life vests. Having a buddy for water sports is a good idea.

Let’s be weather wise this summer in the Valley and not put ourselves at risk of heat illnesses or cold-water dangers.