Weather Warnings Replaced by Sunscreen & Air Quality Alerts!

We all know that it is July and it gets hot. But do not think for one moment that you can let your guard down. Heat this time of year sneaks up on you and since we have not had consecutive 90 degree days in our viewing area since last September it can take a toll on you in a hurry. Whenever the heat index reaches 94 or above watch out! Remember when our weather team forecasts a high of 90 it is a shade temperature located about 6 feet off the ground. If you factor in the humidity and sunshine you add at least another 20 degrees. If you are running or playing tennis you want to add 25 or more degrees. So be careful. You see some tips above to keep you sun smart! We have the highest temperatures and UV Index of the year. The UV index is a fancy term for the ultraviolet index or the sun's rays that are harmful to your skin.

High pressure in control will bring heat wave conditions and a UV index near 10 for the next several days. This is in the very high range and you can get a sunburn during the middle of the day in as little as 20 minutes. Have fun in the sun but be careful. Also if you have any respiratory ailments you have to be careful not to be outdoors for long periods of time. There is an Air Quality Alert in effect for Newton, Jasper, and Benton Counties. The general population is not effect but sensitive groups need to exercise caution.

This build-up in pollutants is caused by our high pressure system bringing this heat wave. Remember the higher the temperatures the more smog nature produces as it literally "cooks up" the pollutants in the atmosphere creating the unhealthy type of ozone. There are some steps above you can take to help reduce the smog.

The big news is what a flip-flop in the pattern! Speaking of big you can see this fabulous fungus spotted in Brookston. Marsha Moore was walking her dog and spotted this Behemoth. It was a sure sign of what we have been through. Do you realize it has rained 32 of the last 57 days. That is about 5 out of every 7 days. This week we are expecting the mushrooms to dry up with only slight chances of rain and our driest week of the year! Join me tonight on the news and we will talk more about this new pattern!

We will also have a cicada update here on the blog this week! Hint: It may help to keep you cool!