Photo: Getty Images
There seem to be more cases of extreme weather lately, and last year was actually the hottest on record, so the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have teamed up to help protect Americans. As part of the collaboration, the agencies created new color-coded heat forecasts so people in the U.S. stay safe when the heat gets extreme, since heat kills more people in America annually than any other extreme weather.
Called "HeatRisk," the system provides a seven day outlook for how dangerous the temperature will be, and while historically, red signified the worst weather on maps, "HeatRisk" sees a new color that is worse than red: magenta. When heat risk maps show magenta, it signifies a "level of rare and/or long-duration extreme heat with little to no overnight relief affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration," with "impacts likely in most health systems, heat-sensitive industries and infrastructure."
Photo: NOAA
Factors used to determine the heat risk include how unusual the temperatures are for that time of year, the duration of the heat during the day and night, and if the temperatures are dangerous, based on CDC data. You can find the map on the NOAA website and even enter your address to get hyperlocal results.
If you happen to see a day that is showing magenta, you'll want to stay inside the air conditioning, wear light-colored clothes and drink plenty of water. It's especially important advice for seniors, pregnant women, young kids, and anyone with asthma or underlying health conditions.