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For three consecutive days, temperatures have reached 100 plus degrees and some officials are worried about it.
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"If we have to open any heat shelters we will," said George Frazier, director of the Grenada County Civil Defense.
Frazier said the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory Wednesday when temperatures reached as high as 102 degrees.
According to Mabry Bell, administrative director at the Grenada Lake Medical Center, there have been no reports of heat related illnesses.
"Stay cool if you can," Frazier said, "and if citizens have to be out, we advise them to drink plenty of liquids. Not colas but something with electrolytes in them like sports drinks."
Frazier said he discourages any burning whatsoever and that people should be very careful while cooking out and other activities outdoors.
"It's best to get started on yard work at daybreak or in the late afternoon when temperatures fall," he said.
In fact, according to County Agent Steve Winters, "the recent rising temperature is in a critical stage on the agricultural end."
"Most of the vegetables don't grow when temperatures get this high," Winters said. "In this case, it is fruit abortion where the plant blooms, but the pollen dies and fruit won't grow."
Winters said whether it is peaches or butterbeans, the temperatures are too high.
In commercial agriculture there is a serious shortage of hay for the cattle because of the heat, while a huge amount of corn and soybeans are turning brown, Winter said.
"Cotton is holding up the best of all crops, but there is still a shortage of it," Winters said.
Winters said no one knows how much will be produced until all the crops are harvested, "but even if we got some rain, it still won't help the corn."
He said nothing can grow in the southeast in this type of weather.
The record high temperature for July 20 in Grenada was set in 1980 when temperatures reached 103 degrees.
According to the NWS, during heat advisories citizens should check on relatives and neighbors, especially those susceptible to heat.
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©The Daily Sentinel Star 2007 |
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