00:00A heat dome is locking down over the central United States, and 40 million Americans are
00:05inside it. The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings, and watches
00:11from Texas North through Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois. Heat index
00:16values, the real field temperature combining heat and humidity, are projected to reach
00:22105 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit through the first week of June. That is not just uncomfortable.
00:28That is medically dangerous. Here is what makes this heat dome particularly dangerous.
00:35Overnight lows in many of these cities will not drop below 80 degrees Fahrenheit. That
00:40matters because the human body needs nighttime cool-down to recover from heat stress. When
00:45nights stay hot, the body accumulates heat load day after day, and heat illness can become
00:50heat stroke within hours, without warning. Heat kills more Americans every year than tornadoes,
00:56hurricanes, and floods combined. It just doesn't make the same headlines. This week it should.
01:02If you are in the heat dome zone, limit outdoor activity between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Drink
01:08water
01:09before you feel thirsty. Check on elderly neighbors. Never leave children or pets in vehicles.
01:14And know the location of your nearest public cooling center.
01:18To that, ignore the location over 60
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