Weather Tidbits: Heat Advisory Criteria

This edition of Weather Tidbits will be discussing the varying criteria needed for a heat advisory across the country. Various regions have different requirements for a heat advisory, mainly because of different climates. Southern regions overall have a higher tolerance for heat than northern regions. Thus, a higher heat index is needed to warrant a heat advisory in the south. The heat index is the temperature that the air feels like, taking into account actual air temperature and dewpoint.

In the northeast, New England must have a minimum heat index of 95 degrees for 2 consecutive hours or more for a heat advisory. New York and the northern Mid-Atlantic must have a minimum heat index of 100 degrees for a heat advisory. The minimum heat index is at a lower 95 degrees in the mountains. South of that, including all of Delmarva, the minimum heat index is 105 degrees for 2 consecutive hours or more.