Staying safe in record breaking heat while celebrating Labor Day

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - When you hear ‘September,’ you probably think about kids returning to school and the leaves starting to change. But it’s not autumn yet, and summer is going out with a bang.

“So it’s going to be hot, it’s going to be humid, but it’s not so hot that it’s going to feel like 105, 110, something like that,” said NBC12 meteorologist Andrew Freiden.

Freiden says the natural fall weather pattern is slowly coming in, so it won’t be as hot and humid as some July days, but it’s still hotter than an average September day.

That’s because there hasn’t been any consistent rain, and the sun is shining high in the sky with no clouds to hide behind.

Depending on where you live, it may feel cooler in some areas than others. In western counties like Amelia or Cumberland, you’ll see more rain, but if you’re closer to the Richmond International Airport, it’s drier, and you’ll feel the difference.

“And the soil is super dry, so when it’s dry, it kind of acts like pavement and can heat up very quickly,” said Freiden. “The places that have plenty of rain are going to get hot, but it will feel way different there than the areas that are dry.”

Richmond City pools did open for one last swim but will close after the holiday, meaning we’ll have to find other ways to beat the heat. If that includes spending any time outside, make sure you’re prepared.

“Such as sunscreen, shirts, like long sleeve hooded UPF shirts, umbrellas,” said Mitch Furr, a boating safety coordinator with the Virginia Department of Wildlife.

Always stay hydrated, but make sure to drink more than just water.

“Make sure you’re also taking in some [electrolytes]. We like to talk about Gatorade or Pedialyte, things that have electrolytes and salts in them,” Furr said.

Furr explained that drinking too much water could lead to a medical emergency, so be sure to hydrate enough before you go out in the sun.

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