North Texas summers are no picnic. Now, as the World Cup comes to the region, the forecast is for an especially hot season.
While temperatures in June are expected to remain within normal ranges, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration is forecasting a slightly warmer than average July in Tarrant County.
Between June and August, temperatures in North Texas are expected to be at least 40% higher than average, NOAA data shows. Fort Worth’s summer highs average over 90 degrees.
Games take place in Arlington between June 14 and July 14.
For international visitors coming to Tarrant County who may not be accustomed to Texas summers, Erik Ledig, an emergency room physician at Texas Health Resources, recommends self-awareness.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion include fatigue, dizziness, weakness, nausea and vomiting, Ledig said.
“Having somebody else with you to notice those signs is also a recommendation,” Ledig noted. “When you start feeling those signs, know to get into an (air conditioned) environment and hydrate yourself.”
Those signs may point to several types of heat illness.
The more severe is heat stroke, which can occur when your body temperature rises above 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Accompanying symptoms may include confusion and seizures. This is a medical emergency that requires early and aggressive treatment, Ledig said.
Other heat illnesses can include cramps, rash, passing out and swelling in the extremities.
The summer forecast: Stormy and unusually warm
Ahead of those nine matches and warmer than normal temperatures, experts at UTA are working with the North Central Texas Council of Governments — the local metropolitan planning agency — to learn what regional environmental conditions will look like during the World Cup.
That will involve deploying monitors to collect data on humidity levels, air quality, and temperatures, said Yunyao Li, University of Texas at Arlington assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences.
Humid conditions from global climate patterns, such as El Niño, and North Texas’ growing urban heat island contribute to warmer temperatures, said Li and Arne Winguth, UT Arlington earth and environmental sciences department chair and assistant professor.
The weather phenomenon El Niño typically reaches its max intensity during winter months.
El Niño is a global climate pattern that occurs, on average, every two to seven years, according to the National Ocean Service.
Typically lasting between nine to 12 months, the climate phenomenon occurs when warmer than usual waters and winds cause the Pacific jet stream to move south, leading to more rainfall and flooding.
This year, El Niño is predicted to peak in May through July, bringing wetter conditions to North Texas, and resulting in warmer temperatures later in the year.
El Niño typically cools the southern United States. However, more moisture and humidity can exacerbate already warm temperatures, Li said, worsening the urban heat island effect.
For example, rapid development along Interstate 20 in Tarrant County has largely contributed to increased heat, Winguth said. I-20 is about 6 miles south of AT&T Stadium.
The effect happens when large cities and metropolitan areas experience higher temperatures than nearby rural areas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Buildings, roads and other infrastructure absorb and reemit the sun’s heat more than natural areas, such as green spaces or lakes.
Daytime temperatures in densely developed areas experience temperatures ranging between 1 to 7 degrees higher than untouched landscapes, according to the EPA.
However, urban heat can vary, Winguth said.
Suburban areas that still have green landscapes experience urban heat less than downtown or industrial sites, he explained. Highly reflective buildings or surfaces are highly reflective, absorbing significantly less heat than a dark building, Winguth said.
How to stay safe in high temperatures
The best way to prepare for heat is to spend time outside in it — for an hour for the first week or two, and then for two hours — to help your body adjust, Ledig said.
“You need to be doing the other things as well, but that acclimatization will help you endure great heats better than people who are not prepared for it,” he said.
Ledig added that hydration — including consuming drinks with electrolytes if you spend more than an hour in hot temperatures — limiting strenuous activity in high heat and wearing light-colored and loose clothing are ways to keep yourself safe. Ledig also noted that alcohol is best consumed in climate-controlled environments during the heat of the summer, as it dehydrates you.
People with cardiovascular conditions, obesity, diabetes, kidney issues or who are 65 and older are among those at higher risk. Also, Ledig encourages people to seek help when symptoms of heat illness emerge.
While visitors explore North Texas outside of AT&T Stadium, Winguth recommends that tourists and visitors closely follow forecasts and heat warnings issued by the National Weather Service to stay cool.
For information about high temperatures, how they’re affected by humidity and their health risks, visit the National Weather Service’s heat index chart.
McKinnon Rice is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Her position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact her at mckinnon.rice@fortworthreport.org.
Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org.
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This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
