Surviving a Heat Dome
By: Callum Denault
Published on: October 21st, 2024
Life in temperate countries like Canada naturally comes with weather changes throughout the seasons. Sometimes, summers can get dangerously hot to the point where the government warns their citizens about health risks from heat exposure. Fortunately, there are many cheap ways to stay refreshed, even for people who do not have air conditioners.
What is a heat dome?
In short, heat domes are literal bubbles of hot air that form over large areas, typically under dry summer conditions. Hot air tries to rise but is pushed down by pressure in the upper atmosphere, causing the heat dome to become denser and hotter. Global warming increases the likelihood of extreme weather events, although it is hard to say which specific events are caused by climate change.
When urban infrastructure absorbs this heat, it can cause mechanical issues. In radical cases, heat can melt power cables and cause roads to buckle.
The CBC reported several extreme heat warnings across Canada during the summer of 2024. These warnings stretched across the western provinces, most of Alberta, the entirety of Nova Scotia, most of New Brunswick, the Greater Toronto Area, and even parts of the Northwest Territories. Even though Canada is known for its cold winters, newcomers and long-term residents alike should be ready for blistering hot summers no matter which part of the country they are in.
Early heat domes, such as those affecting the United States and Canada in July 2024, are particularly dangerous. It can suddenly cause hot weather a couple months before most people’s bodies can naturally adapt to the heat, leading to potential health complications.
Heat stroke and other health problems caused by hot weather
Certain heat-related illnesses can be seriously hurtful or even deadly. Generally, there are three types of heat-related illnesses: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat strokes. However, hot weather can cause many other health complications, such as heat rashes or dehydration.
Heat cramps are painful cramps that usually affect the legs and may make skin pale.
Heat exhaustion is a more advanced illness. Its symptoms include heat rash, possible nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, and anxiety. Both problems can be dealt with by seeking an air-conditioned environment, cooling off the affected body parts, and replenishing the body with water and salt.
Heat stroke is the progression of heat-related illness that results in physical and mental debilitations. If anyone is suffering from heatstroke, they need to be taken to a hospital immediately. People suffering from heat stroke tend to have a fever of 34 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher and may be confused, extremely tired, or in a stupor. Heat stroke can also cause seizures, comas, or death.
The American Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recommends people on low-sodium diets or with a history of heart problems who are suffering from these conditions get medical help. The CDC also recommends medical care for anyone experiencing the symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat cramps for over an hour.
The Ontario government recommends people either find a healthcare provider or call Health811 (TTY: 1-877-797-0007) if they experience symptoms of any heat-related illness. People may also suffer from heat rashes in hot weather. Heat rashes can range from sweat-clogged pores to painful goosebumps. In the middle of these two extremes is “prickly heat” because the skin becomes itchy or prickly with bumps that contain a pus filling.
Heat rash can have a variety of causes, including hormonal changes during menstruation. Fortunately, most causes of heat rash are preventable with proper skincare. Keeping enough space between your skin and clothing ensures airflow and prevents sweat from getting stuck there. Parts of the body where skin usually rubs together are at risk of heat rash on the neck, armpits, elbows, chest, groin, and under the breasts.
Staying cool in extreme heat
Cold water is a great way to remain refreshed through drinking, taking cold showers/baths, or even putting chilled wet rags on body parts like the neck and wrists, that experience pumping blood. Buying box fans to blow cool air and using blinds/curtains to keep out the hot sun during daylight are other ways to stay refreshed.
Various techniques and devices can also keep heat from entering a room in the first place. One approach is to add translucent temperature control films to windows, which reflect a substantial amount of the heat that enters the home through sunlight. Similarly, sealing doors and windows with weather strips can help keep hot air from leaking into one’s home. LED lights are preferable to lightbulbs, which emit heat in addition to light. Turning off unused appliances can help to keep them from warming up.
Opening the windows at night is an excellent way to cool off a room that is already hot. Likewise, it is possible to make DIY air conditioners, such as draping a cold, wet sheet in front of a fan or placing it behind a bunch of ice cubes. Some buildings may have exhaust fans in the bathroom and/or kitchen, which can push hot air outside the home.
If all else fails, the best decision would be to consult the local government for any cool places open to the public. For instance, the City of Toronto has a map listing free places citizens can go to cool off, such as community centres, malls, civic centres, and public libraries.