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Don't you love "just right" weather.  For me, it's partly cloudy and about 72 to 78 degrees for this time of year.  Anything over that seems hot to me, and I even spent the first 25 years of my life in Texas!

The heat is about to get cranked up so we must change our descriptors in weather segments to correspond to certain parameters in any given forecast:

High of 56-64 degrees:  Cool
              65-74 degrees:  Mild
              75-84 degrees:  Warm
              85-94 degrees:  Hot
              95-100 and up:  Very hot, sweltering, blistering, dangerous, boiling, unbearable, etc.

One interesting note:  We haven't hit 100 degrees officially in almost 16 years.

When the air temperature reaches 85 and dewpoints reach 65 or more, we have a very difficult time regulating our body temperatures.  (On July 7, 2008 we had a high of 85 and a dewpoint of 74.)  This reduces our chance to evaporate moisture off the skin which provides a cooling effect.  Serious problems can result if this process doesn't occur:  nausea, headaches, dizziness and even heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Have fun, but be very careful this summer.  Heat can be fatal.  Take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water.

In this country, heat kills more people each year than flooding, lightning and tornadoes combined.  Find air conditioning, use fans, take a cool shower or visit your favorite lake, pool or water park.  If all else fails, put wet towels on your neck and put your feet in a large bowl of chilly water.  Another thing, and it's something most won't do, but try to keep tabs on any elderly residents near you because heat is so hard on the circulatory system and humans older than 65-70 are more susceptible than others.

We'll talk again soon, and please let me know your "just right" weather!!!

David