Heat warning for Oshawa, Whitby and Durham Region extended until Friday

A heat warning for Durham Region has been extended into Friday.

A multi-day heat event that was supposed to end tonight or tomorrow morning as been extended to the end of the week with temperatures in the region reaching as high as 33 degrees and the humidex hitting 40 degrees.

The hot and humid air can also bring deteriorating air quality and will result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high risk category.

Environment Canada reminds residents that extreme heat affects everyone and the risks are greater for young children, pregnant women, older adults, people with chronic illnesses and people working or exercising outdoors. Watch for the effects of heat illness: swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and the worsening of some health conditions and drink plenty of water even before you feel thirsty. Stay in a cool place and never leave people or pets inside a parked vehicle.

Outside temperatures of just 23 degrees Celsius can become dangerously hot inside the car with temperatures reaching higher than 50 degrees, which can lead to serious illness and death. Anyone seeing a person or pet unattended in a hot vehicle at any time should call 911 immediately.

Durham Region outreach staff actively patrol the city to refer individuals without shelter or in need of services to resources in the community. If you see or know someone in need of immediate emergency shelter call 9-1-1 or visit the Region of Durham’s Emergency Shelters webpage or the City’s Unsheltered webpage at Oshawa.ca/unsheltered.

There are plenty of options to stay cool, with splash pads in most communities offering extended hours until sunset today and tomorrow. In Oshawa Camp Samac outdoor pool will also extend operating hours until sunset on those days.

Heat warnings are issued when very high temperature or humidity conditions are expected to pose an elevated risk of heat illnesses, such as heat stroke or heat exhaustion.