The first edition of this novella was released in 2022. Since then, it has undergone multiple updates, the most latest being on August 11, 2025.
New Hampshire is about to see another round of intense heat.For additional information from the National Weather Service, go here.
Read this story in Spanish here.
New Hampshire is getting hotter due to climate change, and as fossil fuels continue to warm the atmosphere, scientists predict more days of intense heat.
Extreme heat can be dangerous
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive heat kills about 600 people nationwide each year. According to a 2021 Granite State News Collaborative study, between 2012 and 2019, over 1,400 New Hampshire citizens visited the emergency room due to heat-related illnesses.
Anyone can be harmed by heat, although some people are more vulnerable than others. The CDC states that this includes low-income groups, athletes, those who work outside, persons with chronic medical illnesses, elderly adults, and small children. Additionally, heat can be particularly harmful to expectant mothers.
Heat stroke symptoms include dizziness, nausea, heated skin, and a fast heartbeat. Heat exhaustion symptoms include headaches, dizziness, heavy perspiration, and fainting.
Emergency preparation officials recommend wearing loose-fitting, lightweight clothing, limiting outside labor and sun exposure during the hottest periods of the day, and avoiding the outdoors and sun exposure as much as possible in order to keep safe during a heat wave. Because heat rises, they also advise staying on lower floors if you must remain indoors without access to air conditioning.
Additionally, officials advise using draperies, shades, or awnings to cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sunlight.
By Degrees:Today is a scorching day. Here are some tips for conserving electricity and staying cool.
Dr. Trevor Eide, the medical director for the emergency room at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, said that if you must be active in the heat while working outside, for instance, drink lots of water and pay special attention to how you’re feeling.
According to him, if someone experiences headaches, exhaustion, dry mouth, or thirst, they should stop right away [and go inside to cool off] rather than pushing on until their symptoms worsen.
“It’s a good idea to seek medical attention if you notice more serious symptoms like altered mental status, confusion, slurred speech, or continuing to sweat heavily despite moving to a cooler location,” Eide said. These might indicate heat stroke, which is a more dangerous condition than heat exhaustion.
According to him, all of these indicates that the body can no longer adjust for the rise in temperature.
According to Eide, elderly people are particularly susceptible to heat-related illnesses and should have air conditioning in at least one room of their house, preferably the bedroom, to allow their bodies to cool down throughout the night.
Even with the windows down, state security and disaster management experts advise against leaving children or pets alone in closed cars.
You may be able to visit a nearby cooling center or locate an air-conditioned public area, such as a library, if you are without access to air conditioning or if your house loses power. For further information, give your local town hall or city a call.
More resources:
For a list of cooling centers, dial 211.
County-specific heat danger and safety measures
The New Hampshire Public Health Association offers extreme heat safety advice.
The CDC’s Advice on How to Avoid Heat-Related Illness
The electrical grid may also be strained by heat waves.Here are some tips for conserving energy on hotter days.
