Columbia’s summer one of hottest in decades
Hey, have you noticed? It’s hot out there.
Columbia’s summer has gone from “famously hot” to “oh-my-gosh-why-is-it-so hot” this year, with the season’s statistically second-hottest month still looming ahead of us.
If you’re running out of shirts without sweat stains, here’s why:
Columbia has seen 15 days this year, all in June and July, reach 100 degrees or hotter, according to data from the National Weather Service in Columbia at Columbia Metropolitan Airport. That makes this summer one of the hottest in two decades, the state Department of Natural Resources reports.
On one of the cooler days – so to speak – in recent weeks, it was hot enough Wednesday for Valerie Terdick to walk into a downtown Columbia store wearing shorts that stuck to sweaty skin and walk out wearing a new lightweight, flowy dress to make her more comfortable.
But it wasn’t hot enough for her to miss her hometown of Long Island, N.Y., where the heat index was 105, she said.
She and her best friend’s daughter, Cassandra McNally, strolled down Main Street licking midday ice cream cones to beat the heat.
At the nearby Riverfront Park off Laurel Street, Lonnie Holloway dripped sweat as he left the canal after an afternoon of fishing. Even in the heat, he said, he’d rather be outside in the sun enjoying nature than indoors in the “artificial air.”
“You know what I think about people that complain when it’s too hot? You need to thank God, first of all, that you’re alive to even complain about that,” Holloway said. “I take what God gives me, I thank him for it, and I keep moving on.”
Normal high temperatures for this time of year are in the low 90s. Last year saw five days hit 100 degrees or higher, according to the National Weather Service. In 2013, there were zero; in 2012, 11.
On average over the past 30 years, the mercury has hit 100 about 4.5 days a year in Columbia.
The record for most 100-plus-degree days in Columbia is 28, set in 1954.
A number of factors play into this year’s abnormally hot summer weather, said Dan Miller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Columbia. Among them, Miller said:
▪ Upper-level high pressure patterns, or ridges, especially when coupled with warm, dry downslope winds coming across the mountains.
▪ Dry soil conditions. Dry soil makes the air hotter; wet soil helps cool the air.
Despite something of a respite of temperatures in the mid-90s expected for at least the next week, don’t even bother dreaming of long pants and sweaters any time soon.
The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-normal temperatures for South Carolina and the region for the next three months.
Reach Ellis at (803) 771-8307.
Heat tips for...
People
- Dress in lightweight, light-colored clothes and sleep under lightweight, breathable covers.
- Drink plenty of water. The state Department of Health and Environmental Control recommends drinking 32-64 ounces of water every hour when doing activities outdoors and avoiding liquids that contain caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of sugar, as those can cause you to lose body fluid.
- Keep blinds closed from morning until the late afternoon to block extra direct heat from sunlight in your house, and, because heat rises, stay on the lowest level of your home.
- If you are or you know an elderly person in need of relief from the heat, contact the West Columbia or Columbia police departments, which offer free fans to those in need through their “Fan the Heat” programs. Contact the West Columbia Police Department’s Lt. John Norman at (803) 936-6280, or contact the Columbia Police Department at (803) 545-3555 or (803) 545-3500.
Pets
- Never ever leave children or pets in the car while running errands.
- Walk your dog in the grass, if possible, to prevent asphalt from burning its paws.
- Pets, too, need ample water and shade. A doghouse, though, does not provide relief from the heat because it obstructs air flow.
- Be aware that pets with white-colored ears are more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer and that short-nosed pets are more likely to have trouble breathing.
Plants
- “It’s better to water ‘heavy and deep’ every three days than to water ‘shallow and light’ every day,” said Robin Klein, general manager of Woodley’s Garden Center in Columbia. A deep-soaking watering will encourage root systems to grow deeper in the ground, where they’re less susceptible to heat damage.
- Potted plants and container gardens may need to be watered twice a day.
- Consider a “plant nanny” that holds a water container pointed into the ground and replenishes a plant’s moisture as it needs it. This is especially helpful if you’re leaving your plants while going on vacation.
Sources: Columbia fire department, S.C. DHEC, Humane Society, Woodley’s Garden Center
High school football starts in the heat
What schools are doing:
Training and practices are about to get underway for fall sports teams and marching bands in high schools around the state.
The South Carolina High School Athletic League has a pre-season practice plan designed to minimize the risk of heat illness during preseason football practice.
Friday is the first day football practice is permitted by league rules. The first five days of practice can be no longer than three hours, including warm-ups, stretching, cool-downs and conditioning.
Days six through 14 of practice must alternate between long days (five hours permitted) and short days (three hours permitted).
On long days, practice time should be divided and separated by two hours of continuous rest.
There must be a rest day after six consecutive practice days.
After 14 days, there are no restrictions on practice.
What parents can help players do now:
Get acclimated to the heat.
If your child has been in the air-conditioned indoors all summer, he needs to get used to being in the heat a little bit at a time.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke
Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
Fatigue; nausea; headache; excessive thirst; muscle aches and cramps; weakness; confusion or anxiety; drenching sweats and clammy skin; slowed or weakened heartbeat; dizziness; fainting; agitation
Symptoms of heat stroke include:
Nausea and vomiting; headache; dizziness or vertigo; fatigue; hot or flushed dry skin; rapid heart rate; decreased sweating; shortness of breath; decreased urination; blood in urine or stool; rapid rise in body temperature to 104-106 degrees; confusion, delirium or loss of consciousness; convulsions
Source: www.webmd.com
Summer by the numbers
15
Days reaching 100 degrees or higher so far this year
4.5
Average annual 100-plus-degree days in Columbia
28
Record number of days of 100 or more degrees, set in 1954
92
Normal high temperature for Columbia in late July, early August
This story was originally published July 29, 2015 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Columbia’s summer one of hottest in decades."