Heat advisory issued for Friday due to extreme temperatures
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The hottest temperatures of the year are in store for the next couple of days. Friday and Saturday will be ABC11 First Alert Days because of the extreme temperatures.
The temperature is going to be dangerously hot, rising into the upper 90s. The feels-like temperatures could even rise above 110 degrees for some areas on Saturday.
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory that will go into effect from noon through 7 p.m. Friday. Another advisory will likely go into effect Saturday as well.
Central North Carolina is officially in a heat wave -- which is defined as three or more days at 95+ degrees.
Each day will get progressively hotter until a cold front pushes through Sunday, dousing the temperatures back down to the mid-90s and bringing in the chance for isolated severe storms.
Summer Camp Heat
Kids at the Edison Johnson camp are finding ways to keep cool as the heat advisory goes into effect. If you think the scorching temperatures didn't bother them, think again.
"It really does feel like 150 degrees to me. I'm already sweating," said one child.
ABC11 met Jayson Salas, 10, in the activity center playing games with his friends keeping cool under the air.
"When we walk out of our room, it feels like they just turned off the AC," said Salas. "I'm so thankful for it. It's awesome because I don't have to be out in the heat. It's really hot."
Staffers said just last week they had to change a field trip from outdoor to indoor at the movies because of the weather. It was Salas' favorite trip so far this summer.
"We saw this movie and it was a lot of fun," he said.
It's quiet time after lunch with program assistant Ms. Wilson. She's busy playing card games with campers. Over in the aquatics center there's more fun to be had. Community members and their children are keeping cool at a public pool.
It's a big job that requires staffers to keep all kids safe. That means since there are at least a couple more days of extreme heat, they're finding ways to keep the kids busy indoors.
"It's been a blast. Summer camp is always special. It's one of our busiest times but also most rewarding times," said Alex Kaplan, Durham Parks & Rec specialist. " The kids get to enjoy a variety of activities . We have multiple special projects they can do, swim days Thursdays and field trips."
Heat Hazard Alert
The Biden administration is requesting the Department of Labor issue its first-ever Hazard Alert for heat, as several parts of the country experience historic heatwaves.
The Department of Labor is increasing enforcement and inspections of violations, and OSHA continues to develop a national standard for workplace heat-safety rules. Since 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there have been more than 400 work-related deaths from heat exposure across the country.
Across the Triangle, where feels-like temperatures topped the triple digits Thursday, construction crews shared measures they implemented.
"We take short breaks, and we'll go to our trucks, drink water, we'll keep water with us. Just try to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, a lot of us wear these long-sleeve shirts just to keep the sun off of us," said Natalia Arbelaez, and Assistant Resident Engineer with NCDOT.
"The message at the beginning every day is take care of yourself. Make sure you're hydrated, taking frequent breaks to ensure you're not getting that heat-stress, heat exhaustion type zone. Dressing appropriately, doing the things outside of work as well. Drinking plenty of water when you're not at work to prevent those moments of dehydration," added David Maggio, Corporate Environmental Health and Safety Director for Clancy & Theys, a Raleigh-based construction company.
Maggio said the firm look at scheduling in hoping to avoid having crews out during the hottest points of the day.
"That's definitely been part of our conversation with our crews is if you can get in here at 5-6 a.m., make sure you do that so we can beat the heat a little bit," said Maggio.
The White House listed firefighters, and workers in the agriculture and construction industries as being "disproportionately" impacted by extreme heat.
Elsewhere in Raleigh, food trucks lined up alongside the Raleigh Convention Center as tens of thousands of people are expected to attend GalaxyCon, which started Thursday afternoon.
"We've got good pizza out here today. Neopolitan style," said Jermaine Wellons, Manager of Hot Box Pizza.
Wellons said the temperature is about 20 degrees warmer inside the food truck than outside.
"We bought a second generator so we run a portable air conditioning. We've got all kinds of fans. We've got water, we have water bottles, we have liquid IV, we have all kinds of hydration," Wellons explained.
As Hot Box Pizza plans to expand to a brick-and-mortar location inside Morgan Street Food Hall, Wellons noted the importance of exposure in front of large crowds. Still, he stressed the importance of taking the temperatures into consideration.
"While we do want to serve our people, our employees and our health is primary," Wellons said.
