It could feel like 110 degrees as temperatures rise along the Gulf Coast. What to know
Staying cool could prove difficult for residents on the Gulf Coast as heat index values are expected to reach 110 degrees on Monday, weather officials say.
A heat advisory has been issued for parts of southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast as temperatures continue to rise into the late afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in New Orleans. Parts of the region could see highs in the mid to upper 90s before scattered thunderstorms move in.
The heat index is how the temperature feels to the human body, so the air could feel much warmer than it actually is.
The advisory affects several coastal Mississippi counties, including Hancock, Harrison, Jackson and Pearl River, until 7 p.m. CST Monday, forecasters said.
Residents are urged to stay hydrated and limit their time outdoors while the weather is unbearably hot. The high temperatures and humidity up the risk for heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses.
“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors,” weather officials said. They added that young kids and pets should never be left alone in a car because “the inside of a vehicle can get dangerously — and lethally — hot.”
Knowing the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion are also important if you have to spend an extended amount of time outdoors, according to the NWS.
Amid the heatwave, weather officials are keeping their eyes on a disturbance in the southern Gulf of Mexico that could become the first tropical storm of the 2021 hurricane season, the Sun Herald reported.
The system has a 20% chance of development over the next two days, and a 60% chance of development in the next five days, weather officials said.
