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New Orleans Braces for Unseasonable Heat with "Feels Like" Temperatures near 100

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The city is experiencing an abrupt change from the cooler-than-average weather, with the "feels like" temperature expected to reach near 100 degrees through Monday. According to Kevin Gilmore, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New Orleans, the actual temperature is expected to hit 90 degrees Saturday for the first time this year. When combined with the humidity, it will feel like 98 degrees. Residents are advised to stay hydrated, seek shade, and take breaks in the AC to avoid dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Key Takeaways:

  • The "feels like" temperature in New Orleans is expected to be near 100 degrees through Monday, with the actual temperature reaching 90 degrees on Saturday for the first time this year.
  • The heat index will make it feel like 98 degrees on Saturday, and slightly better on Sunday and Monday.
  • Kevin Gilmore, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New Orleans, attributed the unseasonable heat to a shift in the typical cooler weather of the past week.
  • The average high for this time of year is 85 degrees.
  • The city experienced 49 heat-related deaths last year, according to the state health department.
  • Residents are advised to drink fluids, apply sunscreen, and take breaks in the AC to avoid dehydration and heat exhaustion.
  • A front is expected to move through on Wednesday, lowering humidity and bringing the potential for rain.
  • Hurricane season starts June 1, but storms can form at any time, with the most active period historically being August and September.

Statistics:

  • 49: number of heat-related deaths in Louisiana last year (LDH, 2023)
  • 85: average high temperature for this time of year (Kevin Gilmore, NWS)
  • 90: actual temperature expected to hit on Saturday, the first time this year (Kevin Gilmore, NWS)
  • 98: heat index expected to feel like on Saturday (Kevin Gilmore, NWS)
  • 100: "feels like" temperature expected to be near through Monday (NWS)

Sources:

  • (https://ldh.la.gov/page/heat#dashboard)
  • (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=atlc&fdays=7)
  • (https://www.nws.noaa.gov/)
  • (https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans)

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