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CHANGE IN WEATHER PATTERNS BRING RELIEF FROM SOUTHERN HEAT WAVE;
NOAA's NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUES TO WARN RESIDENTS ABOUT
"SILENT KILLER"
 July 24, 2000 — A change in the
upper level winds is bringing welcomed relief to much of the
southern United States, which baked last week under blistering
temperatures. While some areas of far-west Texas still face 100-degree
temperatures, the rest of the Lone Star State will not see triple-digit
readings until the weekend, according to forecasters at NOAA's
National Weather Service.
A shift in wind patterns pushed
the brunt of the hot air westward and brought some relief to
residents of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi
and Georgia. Forecasters expect this pattern to hold through
most of the week, except in Texas, where temperatures will again
climb to near 100 degrees.
Rick Smith, a senior meteorologist
at the National Weather Service's Southern Region headquarters
in Fort Worth, Texas, continues to caution residents to guard
against being victims of "the silent killer" —heatwaves.
From 1989-1998, heat-related
deaths outpaced fatalities in other severe weather
categories nationwide, according to National Weather Service
statistics. Based on this 10-year average, hurricanes killed
14 people annually, tornadoes 57, lightning strikes 58 and floods
99. people respectively. Excessive heat, however, killed an average
of 193 in the same time period. In 1999, there were 497 heat
related deaths—more than five times the 92 deaths caused
by tornados.
"Heatwaves, caused by
consecutive days of excessively high temperatures, are nothing
new to residents of the south," Smith said. "But everyone
must take precautions and heed the advice of public health officials
to stay indoors as much as possible, drink plenty of water and
keep cool."
Relevant Web Sites
NOAA's National Weather Service's Southern
Region — Links
to Weather Forecast Offices in this region
NOAA's Heat Safety
Tips
All
About Heat Waves
What
to Do When Heat Waves Strike
Are
You Ready for a Heat Wave? — American Red Cross
NOAA's Drought Information
Center
NOAA's
Climate Prediction Center
NOAA's
Excessive Heat Index
Media Contact:
John
Leslie, NOAA's National
Weather Service, (301) 713-0622.
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