St Kitts and Nevis baking in the heat
A heat wave advisory has been issued in St Kitts and Nevis due to soaring temperatures over the past two days.
The St Kitts Meteorological Services on Monday confirmed that the temperatures registered over the past two consecutive days exceeded the heat wave threshold of 31.7 degrees Celsius (89.06° F).
On May 18, 2024, the maximum temperature registered was 31.8 degrees C (89.24° F) while on May 19, 2024, the maximum temperature registered was 32.4 degrees C (90.32° F).
The met service has told residents of St Kitts and Nevis that this trend in high atmospheric temperatures is expected to continue over the summer months. As such the office of the Chief Medical Officer emphasizes the importance of taking immediate precautions to protect against the adverse effects of these high atmospheric temperatures.
The public has been advised to consider the following health tips to protect against the adverse effects of hot temperatures:
- Stay indoors as much as possible especially between 10 am to 3 pm
- If you must be outside wear appropriate protective gear like a hat and appropriate sunscreen
- Adequate hydration
- Persons who provide care to older adults should ensure that their environment is well ventilated and cool during the daytime and nighttime and that the receive adequate amount of water
- Wear light and loose-fitting clothing
- Limit physical activity and exercise to cooler hours of the day
- Take cool showers
- Schedule cooking times for cooler hours of the day
- Check in on older more vulnerable friends and neighbours
- Monitor the weather forecast and temperatures daily and schedule activities for the coolest hours of the day.
According to the Barbados-based Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) in its latest Heat Outlook, May to July, marking the early part of the Caribbean Heat Season in the Caribbean Islands and Belize, is forecast to be noticeably hotter than usual.
