High temperatures batter the east coast once again being 105 degrees for over 103 hours this year. This past July was the second hottest month ever recorded in history, causing natural disasters all over the country and distress to our athletes.
Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a category three hurricane on Keaton Beach, Fla., Aug. 30.
“Heat waves, forest fires, droughts, and even flooding around the globe may cause people to panic and say that it is all climate change,” Natalie DelloBuono, AICE Environmental Management and Marine Science teacher, said.
DelloBuono explained the reason these past few weeks have been so hot is due to an El Nino year. El Nino happens once every 5 to 7 years.
“El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon marked by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator,” Weather.gov, said.
Athletes have been feeling the effects of the heat, causing them to feel dehydrated and sluggish. Emma Haake, senior varsity cross country runner, practices and has meets in the heat.
“The heat deflects my performance at practice and at races,” Emma Haake, senior cross country runner, said. “[It also] makes it difficult to breathe while I am running.”
Hayden Siegel, junior, has been observing cases of heat related illness at football due to players wearing pads and extra clothes.
“The heat is extreme sometimes. If you don’t drink enough water then your athletic performance could change and it can lead to dizziness and lightheadedness,” Siegel said.
Cross country runners experience an elevated risk of medical conditions like heat exhaustion, heat stroke and cardiac arrest.
“I can get overheated, which can cause me to throw up. It also causes me to become dehydrated,” Haake said.
As temperatures continue to rise, people are looking for ways to stay safe in the hot sun.
“Stay indoors during the hottest parts of the day, limit outdoor activities, and stay hydrated,” DelloBuono said. “Wear sunscreen, sun shirts, and hats.”
Temperatures aren’t expected to go down until Nov., so continue to follow safety measures.
