Summertime heat and humidity are settling across the KVOE listening area for the next week, and the National Weather Service has a new experimental product designed to gauge heat-related impacts for sensitive residents.
National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist Chad Omitt says HeatRisk gauges several factors before outlining the risks in a five-point scale.
Unlike the commonly used heat index, Omitt says HeatRisk currently does not factor in humidity before gauging the overall risk — although part of the process includes overnight low temperatures, which indirectly references humidity levels.
*Click here for the HeatRisk information page.
The unveiling of HeatRisk comes with high temperatures expected in the 90s into at least early next week, and that includes air temperatures in the mid-90s with heat index readings from 100-107 areawide Thursday.
Meanwhile, flooding has ended for the Cottonwood River at Emporia, with the river going below the 20-foot flood stage before 8 am Wednesday after cresting just above 23.1 feet early Tuesday. There are still several road segments closed due to flooding. Click here for more information on road closures.
HeatRisk categories
*Green/Level 0: Little to no risk from expected heat.
*Yellow/Level 1: Minor. This level of heat affects primarily those individuals extremely sensitive to heat, especially when outdoors without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration.
*Orange/Level 2: Moderate. This level of heat affects most individuals sensitive to heat, especially those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration. Impacts possible in some health systems and in heat-sensitive industries.
*Red/Level 3: Major. This level of heat affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration. Impacts likely in some health systems, heat-sensitive industries and infrastructure.
*Magenta/Level 4: Extreme. This level of rare and/or long-duration extreme heat with little to no overnight relief affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration. Impacts likely in most health systems, heat-sensitive industries and infrastructure.
