National Weather Service Issues Heat Advisory for Wednesday

The National Weather Service, based in Taunton, has issued a heat advisory for Foxborough and much of New England today between noon and 7 p.m.  

“Heat indices up to 103 degrees will result in dangerous conditions for those spending prolonged periods of time outside,” says the advisory.

The advisory was issued to much of southeast New Hampshire and Eastern Massachusetts, parts of northern Rhode Island and southwest Massachusetts, and Hartford County in Connecticut.

According to the alert, “A heat advisory means that a period of hot temperatures is expected.  The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a situation in which heat illnesses are possible.”

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) offers some suggestions for keeping cool:

"A few common sense measures can reduce heat-related problems, especially for the elderly, the very young and people with respiratory ailments, who are more susceptible to the effects of high temperatures,” said MEMA Director Kurt Schwartz, in a statement on the agency's website. “If this extreme weather continues over an extended period, some communities may be setting up cooling centers to assist those seeking relief from the oppressive heat.”

Here are some tips to follow:

• Slow down, avoid strenuous activity. Do not try to do too much on a hot day.
• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect heat and sunlight and help maintain normal body temperature. Protect your face with a wide-brimmed hat.
• Drink plenty of water regularly and often, even if you do not feel thirsty. Attempt to stay hydrated.
• Limit intake of alcoholic beverages. They can actually dehydrate your body.
• Eat well-balanced, light, regular meals. Avoid high protein foods that increase metabolic heat.
• Stay indoors as much as possible. 
• If you do not have air conditioning, stay on your lowest floor, out of the sun. Electric fans do not cool the air, but they do help evaporate perspiration, which cools your body.
• Go to a place where you can get relief from the heat, such as air conditioned schools, libraries, theaters and other community facilities that may offer refuge during the warmest times of the day.
• Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings or louvers. Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 80 percent.
• Avoid too much sunshine. Sunburn slows the skin’s ability to cool itself.  If you are outside, use sunscreen lotion with a high SPF (Sun Protection Factor) rating.
• Never leave children or pets alone in a closed vehicle.
• Do not leave pets outside for extended periods. Make sure that they have plenty of drinking water.
• Check on family, friends and neighbors.
• If you believe you, or anyone you are with, is experiencing a heat-related medical emergency, promptly call 911, and if possible, move to a cooler place.