Heat advisory covers Gadsden through Saturday night, with heat index up to 109

The National Weather Service has placed Gadsden and all of Etowah County under a heat advisory that runs until 9 p.m. Saturday. Heat index values could reach 109. Saturday is expected to be the hotter of the two days.

GADSDEN, AL: The advisory was issued at 3:59 a.m. Friday. It warns that the heat index could climb as high as 109 degrees. The heat index combines air temperature and humidity to estimate what the heat actually feels like to the human body.

Saturday looks like the harder day. The forecast high for Friday is 95 degrees. Saturday is expected to reach 96. Both days sit four to five degrees above the normal high of 91 for this point in August.

That is hot, but it is not record heat. The record high for Aug. 14 in Gadsden is 104 degrees. Thursday topped out at 94.

The humidity is what turns a 95-degree day into a 109-degree heat index. At 7:15 a.m. Friday, the dew point in Gadsden was 76 degrees and humidity was at 92 percent. When the air is that wet, sweat does not evaporate well, and sweat evaporating is how the body cools itself down.

The ultraviolet index is also forecast to reach 10, which is rated very high.

This is the second advisory in a week. GadsdenThrive reported Wednesday that heat advisories were already in effect Thursday and Friday, and the pattern has held.

Why does this matter more this week?

Fall practice is underway across Etowah County. Football teams, marching bands, cross country runners and volleyball squads are all outside in the afternoon.

Football equipment makes the problem worse. Pads and helmets cover skin that would otherwise release heat, and they trap warm air against the body. Band members face a different version of the same issue. Pavement, parking lots and artificial turf all absorb sunlight and radiate it back up, so the temperature at field level can run well above what the airport thermometer reports.

What are schools actually doing?

Every practice at Attalla City Schools this week has been altered because of the heat, Superintendent Matt Miller told GadsdenThrive.

The district does not use wet bulb globe temperature devices. It works from a heat index app supplied by its athletic trainers. Head coach Davin Hawkins makes the call to change or cancel a practice, based on what the athletic trainer reports.

Miller said the safety of the district’s student athletes is a top priority and that staff take whatever measures are necessary to protect them.

GadsdenThrive has also asked Etowah County Schools and Gadsden City Schools for their heat protocols. This story will be updated with their responses.

What are schools required to do?

The Alabama High School Athletic Association sets the rules its member schools must follow in hot weather.

The AHSAA treats the wet bulb globe temperature, or WBGT, as the preferred measurement. A WBGT reading accounts for temperature, humidity, wind and direct sunlight together, which is why it gives a better picture of heat stress than air temperature alone. Schools that do not have a WBGT device are directed to use the heat index measured at the site of the activity.

The association tells schools to set up the device 15 to 30 minutes before activity begins, at a height of three to five feet, and to take a new reading at least every 30 minutes.

As readings climb, the required changes get stricter. At moderate levels, practice length is capped and football players are limited to helmets, shoulder pads and shorts. At higher levels, practice is capped at one hour and no protective equipment may be worn. Above a certain point, outdoor workouts stop entirely until conditions improve.

The AHSAA also requires cooling zones at outdoor activities, immediate access to cold water immersion, and an emergency action plan with someone on campus trained to use it. Alabama is what the association calls a cool first state, meaning an athlete showing signs of heat illness is cooled down before being transported.

What should families watch for?

Heat exhaustion often shows up as heavy sweating, dizziness, headache, nausea, muscle cramps or weakness. Someone in that condition needs to get into shade or air conditioning, cool down and drink fluids.

Confusion, slurred speech, fainting or a loss of consciousness point to heat stroke. That is a medical emergency. Call 911.

Neighbors are worth checking on too, particularly older adults, people who live alone and anyone without reliable air conditioning.

The weather service also reminds people that children and pets should never be left in a parked vehicle, even briefly. The inside of a car heats up fast, and it does not take a 100-degree day to become dangerous.

What about weekend events?

The Midnight Madness softball tournament, which had been scheduled to begin Friday night at Gadsden Sports Park and run overnight, has been cancelled.

Gadsden Public Affairs Coordinator Michael Rodgers said the cancellation was related to the number of teams entered, not to the heat.

For the outdoor events that are still on this weekend, Rodgers said Gadsden Parks and Recreation will have fans, water and cold packs available and will build scheduled breaks into the day so children have regular chances to hydrate and cool off. An athletic trainer will be on site during weekend events to monitor for heat related problems and respond if they come up.

Heat advisory FAQ

How long does the heat advisory last?
It runs until 9 p.m. Saturday.

What area does it cover?
All of Central Alabama, which includes Gadsden and Etowah County.

How hot will it get?
Highs near 95 Friday and 96 Saturday, with a heat index reaching as high as 109.

Is this record heat?
No. The record high for Aug. 14 in Gadsden is 104 degrees.

Is the Midnight Madness softball tournament still on?
No. The city says it was cancelled because of the number of teams entered, not because of the heat.

What is the difference between a heat advisory and a heat warning?
An advisory signals conditions that can cause heat illness. A warning is issued for more dangerous conditions and is the higher level alert.