Not that there’s a good reason to be in Washington, D.C., for the Fourth of July, but if you’re headed to the nation’s capital for that stupid fake state fair, be prepared for record heat.
AccuWeather sent us a note to remind us about how its forecast for Saturday has Washington reaching a high temperature of 99, just shy of the 100-degree July 4 Washington, D.C., record, which was set way back in 1919.
“For such a historic celebration, we have dangerous, and potentially historic, heat in the nation’s capital. People will be outside all day celebrating America250 and must take proper precautions to stay safe. These conditions can be deadly if you don’t take them seriously,” AccuWeather expert meteorologist Dan Pydynowsk said.
The #1 thing you can do to stay safe:
- Don’t go.
Seriously, you’re not missing anything, other than your choice of parking spaces, views of an expanse of green grass with nobody walking on it, music not as good as you can hear at a local honky tonk, and melted ice cream.
If you must go:
- Don’t.
One of your neighbors is almost certainly going to be putting off illegal fireworks; somebody’s going to need to be around to call 911 when he blows his right hand off.
Also, this will scare your dogs – the noise, that is, from the fireworks, your neighbor squawking about blowing his hand off, and the ambulances and police cars.
If you still insist:
- Stay hydrated.
- Avoid prolonged time outdoors during the peak heat.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Watch for signs of heat illness (dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, intense thirst).
- Revisit your priorities in life.