Week of heat

With temperatures forecasted to top the century mark going into next week there is a danger of heat exhaustion for Quay County residents.

QCS photo: Thomas Garcia

Diego Sanchez drinks water to cool off Tuesday at the city of Tucumcari softball fields. Even with the sun setting temperatures out side were still in the high 90's.

There will be near record-breaking temperatures set in the Quay County area, said Clay Anderson, meteorologist National Weather Service Albuquerque.

Anderson said the recent heat can be linked to an upper high system in the atmosphere which is sitting over the area. He said the upper high will cause temperatures to increase and with the air descending from the atmosphere to be heated and dried out.

Anderson said it's not unusual to have this type of upper high system to be in this area this time of year, though the high temperatures associated with this one are unusual.

"One of the main reason for these higher temperatures may be the extended drought conditions," Anderson said.

Andersons said the drought has cause the soil moisture levels to be lower then they are normally, this time of year which allows the surface temperatures to increase.

Extended exposure to the increased temperatures can result in heat exhaustion, a heat-related illness, according to health officials.

Heat exhaustion may occur after you've been exposed to high temperatures for several days and have developed Dehydration, said Jani Kothalanka, an internist at Presbyterian Medical Group Clinic at Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital.

Kothalanka said there are two types of heat exhaustion, the first is water depletion, it causes thirst, muscle cramps, loss of consciousness. She said the second type is salt depletion, which causes nausea, vomiting, dizziness and headache.

Kothalanka said there are aggravating factors to take in to consideration with heat exhaustion such as; age: infants , children under the age of four and those 65 years and over need to avoid exposure to heat for long periods of time. She said people with the certain health conditions should limit the time they are exposed to the high temperatures.

Those conditions include; include heart, lung, or kidney disease, obesity or underweight, high blood pressure, diabetes, mental illness, sickle cell trait, alcoholism, sunburn, and any conditions that cause fever.

Kothalanka said some medications can also be affected by high heat including; diuretics (water pills), sedatives, tranquilizers, stimulants, some heart and blood pressure medications, and medications for psychiatric conditions.