Heat Hazards

News Headlines

Excessive Heat Hazards

RISK LEVEL	HAZARD DESCRIPTION
Low	Heat and humidity will combine to create heat index values in the 100 to 104 degree (F) range.
Moderate	Heat and humidity will combine to create heat index values in the 105 to 109 degree (F) range.
High	Heat and humidity will combine to create heat index values 110 degrees (F) and above.

The existing NWS WFO Newport/Morehead City Graphical Hazards have been discontinued due to technical issues. A new version of these hazards graphics is under development and will be implemented once it has passed an internal testing period. This will hopefully come in 2016, but we cannot estimate when at this time. We regret the inconvenience and hope you found the previous version of this webpage and graphics useful. We hope you will find the new version of this webpage just as useful when it comes online.

General Information

On average, about 175 Americans succumb to the taxing demands of heat every year. Our bodies dissipate heat by varying the rate and depth of blood circulation, by losing water through the skin and sweat glands. Sweating cools the body through evaporation. However, high relative humidity retards evaporation, robbing the body of its ability to cool itself.

When heat gain exceeds the level the body can remove, body temperature begins to rise, and heat related illnesses and disorders may develop.

The Heat Index (HI) is the temperature the body feels when heat and humidity are combined.