If you’ve enjoyed high temperatures in the 80s and nighttime lows in the 60s as we’ve seen for the better part of July, get ready for a big change. Forecasters say the dog days of summer are about to return with a vengeance.

A heat dome is setting up to move over Oklahoma and stay parked for several days, sending temperatures toward the century mark beginning this weekend and into the following week. Factor in the expected high humidity, and “feel like” temperatures will range from 100 - 110 degrees. At press time, rain was not in the forecast for the next 10 days.

The hot weather brings with it several dangers, including the risk of heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If you are outside and feel faint or dizzy, have clammy skin and a weak, rapid pulse, you are likely suffering from heat exhaustion. You should seek a cooler environment and drink water. Symptoms of a heat stroke include a throbbing headache, no sweating and nausea or vomiting. Heat stroke victims require immediate medical assistance.

Although no fire warnings are currently in place, Seminole Fire Chief Fielding Lucas said that could change if the forecast holds true.

“If the heat dome that’s currently building up ends up parking over us, we could see an increased fire danger,” Lucas said. “Just remember to be diligent and remain fire wise in the coming days.”

As the mercury rises, remember that hot cars pose serious risks for children, senior adults and pets. Experts say that while the risk of a hot car related death is still high for seniors and pets, the majority of deaths that occur are in children under two years old. Children have less body surface area, so they are not able to cool themselves as quickly as adults and most of these children cannot verbalize if they are too hot.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), in both 2018 and 2019, 53 children died in hot cars. These are the deadliest years on record in the past 20 years. Since 1998, almost 900 children have died from vehicular heatstroke with 24% of incidents occurring while a parent or caregiver was at work.

The NSC advises parents and caregivers to stick to a routine and avoid dis tractions to reduce the risk of forgetting a child. Place a purse, briefcase or even a left shoe in the back seat to force you to take one last look before walking away. Keep car doors locked so children cannot gain access, and teach them that cars are not play areas. There is no safe amount of time to leave a child in a vehicle, even if you are just running a quick errand.