You likely don’t have to be told how dangerous the weather is in the Tri-State, but the National Weather Service issued an Excessive Heat Warning for Friday, predicting temperatures as high as 110 degrees.

While things are expected to cool off a little bit this weekend, summer isn’t over and it’s likely we’ll have more dangerous heat and humidity.

We could take this opportunity to stress the seriousness of climate change, which contributes to severe, erratic weather conditions such as this warning. Instead, we will remind readers how to protect themselves from health risks from heat and humidity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises:

• Stay inside an air-conditioned building as much as possible. This is the No. 1 way to avoid heat-related illness. Do not rely on a fan in extreme heat such as this.

• Drink more water than usual; drink even if you’re not thirsty.

• Check on friends and neighbors and have someone check on you.

• Limit your use of the stove and oven to keep your house cooler.

• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.

• Seek medical immediately if you or a friend displays signs of heat-related illness, which include but are not limited to high body temperature; hot, red, dry or damp skin; cold, pale and clammy skin; dizziness, fatigue or weakness; fainting, confusion, headache or nausea.

High temperatures kills hundreds annually, even though heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable. High humidity interferes with the body’s ability to cool by sweating and personal factors, such as age, heart disease, those with mental illness, circulation, sunburn and others can keep a person from cooling efficiently.

We hope everyone takes the heat seriously and takes the necessary steps to avoid illness, or worse.

-Ashland Daily Independent