HONOLULU (KHON2) — A sweltering heat wave set dangerously high record temperatures in parts of the Northwest to Arizona since early July.
Exhausted travelers coming from the mainland said they've had to deal with what feels like over 100-degree weather. Some flights at maximum weight to Oahu were canceled due to the heat impacting take-off.
"It was so hot on the plane it was miserable," stated Melissa Crist who arrived in Hawaii Wednesday afternoon. "People had to get off the plane so we could take off."
Doctors like Dr. Philip Verhoef said long exposure to extreme heat can lead to permanent organ damage or even death, but it's easy to forget just how dangerous the heat can be. According to Dr. Verhoef, you'll experience heat exhaustion before having a heat stroke.
"Heat exhaustion is that feeling that we feel when we're starting to feel a little bit sick to our stomach or a little bit fatigued or muscles are aching," said Dr. Verhoef. "When you get to heat stroke, you're starting to sustain brain damage. That happens because your body is simply unable to cool itself off."
High humidity combined with extreme heat is also dangerous. As your body tries to cool itself by producing sweat, humidity makes it harder for sweat to evaporate, thus preventing your body from cooling off. Children, Kupuna and pregnant mothers are especially at high risk.
"Pregnant women, you put them under that kind of stress, that's never going to be good for the baby. The lower your blood pressure is, the less blood is actually going to be making it to that developing infant that you have inside," said Dr. Verhoef.
Health experts said if you think you're experiencing heat exhaustion, you should get inside and stay out of the sun as soon as possible. You can also wrap wet towels or submerse yourself in water. Having fans to help evaporate moisture will help you recover faster, said Dr. Verhoef.