HOUSTON – This has been the hottest summer in recorded history for Houston.
The average temperature this month is 97 degrees, but the heat index has consistently been above 100 degrees. The heat index is the temperature your body thinks it is, which makes these days dangerous for those playing sports outside.
A heat advisory won’t be issued unless the heat index is 108. Even one degree shy of that means school practices can go on as planned.
Lauryn Pope, Goose Creek ISD middle school athletic trainer with Houston Methodist Baytown, said those most at risk are the football players.
“Football, you’re completely padded up so you can have, you know, heat exhaustion, heat stroke. Heat stroke is a medical emergency and you need to be able to watch for those signs,” she warned.
Signs of heat exhaustion include:
- Weakness
- Cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
- Fainting
Get out of the heat and somewhere cool - fast - if you feel those symptoms.