Extreme heat is the deadliest weather condition, causing more deaths annually in the U.S. than hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods combined. Understanding how heat affects the body and knowing safety tips are crucial for prevention.
Key points
Extreme heat is the deadliest weather condition.
Heat kills more people in the U.S. than hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods combined.
Sweating is the body's natural cooling system.
Heat can shut down vital systems like the stomach, heart, and kidneys.
Safety tips can help prevent heatstroke.
Of all extreme weather conditions, heat is the deadliest. Human bodies have a natural cooling system — sweat — but that system can do only so much in high temperatures and humidity.
But how exactly does heat kill? Here's the science behind what happens to the body in extreme temperatures, including the three main ways heat can shut down vital systems, as well as tips to stay safe, cool down and fend off heatstroke.
