Prepare for Scorching Heat: Mid-South's First 'Heat Dome' of the Summer is On Its Way

As we approach the peak of summer, the Mid-South region is bracing itself for the arrival of its first 'heat dome' of the season. The summer season officially began early Sunday morning, and while temperatures this week are still tolerable, next week looks to be a much different story. Temperatures are expected to soar into the mid-to-upper 90s, with heat index values well into the triple-digits for several days.

Memphian Darrel Davis knows Mid-South summers can be unbearable. 'You can cook an egg on the sidewalk. That's how hot it gets,' he said. Davis advises people to 'hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and stay in the air conditioning for the most part.' He also suggests that people come out during the evening time when the heat is less intense.

This hot stretch of weather will likely come in the form of a 'heat dome.' These are large areas of stable high pressure, which feature sinking air. That means there are little to no clouds overhead, allowing temperatures to soar, trapping heat and pollutants right at the earth's surface. According to Larry Hopper, Assistant Director for Respiratory Therapy at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, 'You have particles of gas, you know, different carbons that are in the air, relative to the heat. Exhaust from cars, because, you know, in the summertime people travel quite a bit, and when they're driving and traveling to and fro, especially in a city like Memphis, you'll see the smog.'

People with underlying health issues such as congestive heart failure or COPD are most at risk from hot, sunny, still days. Hopper advises those with health issues to 'Prepare their houses. Ensure that they have airflow, you know. Or, if they don't have air conditioning at home, if there's a possibility that they can go visit relatives and things of that sort, it would be a good opportunity to do that if you know that heat is coming.'

Children are also vulnerable to intense heat and can easily suffer heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke if they are not careful. FOX13 spoke with Dr. Rudy Kink of Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, who shared some of the warning signs that parents can look for. 'Breathing a little faster than normal, they're not sweating; they become tired and lethargic; they want to lie down. Nausea and vomiting you would see. In the older kids, teenagers, they're not peeing as frequently. And when they go and pee, the urine is really dark. That's a sign of dehydration from the heat.'

Heat is the nation's leading weather-related cause of death - more than flooding, more than tornadoes. There have already been eight child hot car deaths this year, including one in Tennessee. Count on Severe Weather Center 13 to track the heat as it nears.