The National Weather Service statistics show that each year from 2016 to 2023, heat was the leading cause of weather deaths.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With the extreme heat we are expecting next week, there is a risk of dangerously hot temperatures in Charlotte.
With temperatures in the 90s next week, many people will try to find ways to cool down. While we have a lot of weather phenomena, some people wonder if heat is one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
THE QUESTION
Is heat the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S.?
THE ANSWER
Yes, heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the U.S.
OUR SOURCES
WHAT WE FOUND
According to the CDC, the latest stats show that in 2021, 1,600 heat-related deaths occurred in the U.S.
The National Weather Service statistics show that each year from 2016 to 2023, heat was the leading cause of weather deaths.
“The fatalities are mainly because of heat stroke, which is the biggest one,” Mulcahy said.
Someone experiencing heat stroke will have symptoms that include a high body temperature, an altered mental state, nausea, rapid breathing, a racing heart rate and a headache.
That’s why Mulcahy says it’s so important to be alert when we have these high-temperature days.
“That’s why whenever we have those heat advisories or excessive heat warnings, it’s temperatures are how we feel we really can’t sweat anymore, so our body temperatures start to rise,” Mulcahy said.
The CDC said the people most at risk for heat-related illness or death are older adults, young children, and people with a chronic disease or mental illness.
So, the best thing to do on these dog days of summer?
“Chill out, it is way too hot to do a lot of things. The lawn can wait, keep things to the morning, keep things to the evening,” Mulcahy said.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
