New Orleans will feel "like a blast furnace" for the next few days
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The first week of August is going to be brutally hot, meteorologists warn, as the heat index in metro New Orleans potentially climbs to 117.
- An excessive heat warning is in effect Monday and Tuesday, with another possible Wednesday.
Why it matters: Extreme heat is a serious health risk, leading to both immediate acute effects (such as exhaustion and heat stroke) and longer-term complications due to reduced air quality.
Driving the news: Temperatures are about 10 degrees above average for this time of year, according to Phil Grigsby, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Slidell.
- The highs this week in New Orleans are forecast to hit 99. But when you combine air temperature with humidity, the "feels like" temp or heat index is well above 100.
Yes, but: It's a little less humid than normal, Grigsby says, which is keeping our "feels like" temperature lower than it could be.
- "But it's still terrible out there," he tells Axios. "It feels like a blast furnace on your face. That's what we're going to be experiencing for the next few days."
Context: The heat arrived earlier than usual this summer in New Orleans.
- By June, New Orleans had more excessive heat warnings issued than all of 2022. Eleven warnings have been issued so far in 2023 compared with five all of last year.
- The National Weather Service in Slidell also set an office record in July when it issued the most heat advisories in a single month.
- And on Saturday, Baton Rouge set a new daily heat record: 101.
Zoom out: July is on track to be the Earth's hottest month on record, writes Axios' Andrew Freedman.
- President Biden announced Thursday new federal heat-related protections for workers, including plans for the Department of Labor's first-ever "hazard alert" for extreme temperatures.
- Ocean temperatures were even more unusual than air temperatures in July, reaching unprecedented levels since mid-May.
What to do: Public cooling stations (list) are open this week in the city. Here are additional heat safety tips from NOLA Ready.
- Stay indoors in air conditioning during the hottest parts of the day.
- Drink water and take frequent breaks in the shade.
- Do not swim in the Mississippi River. The Coast Guard and Harbor Patrol will be patrolling and will treat you as a "person overboard."
- NORD's pools are open, along with day-pass options at these hotel pools.