The dog days of summer are getting their bark back.
Warm temperatures stoked by high humidity have sparked heat warnings across the Maritimes, and it's only going to get hotter from here.
As July came to a close, a hot month got even hotter.
In picturesque Mahone Bay, where the population booms with visitors in the summer, people claim they're loving the heat.
“It’s fantastic,” said David Thomson. “Being from Scotland, I'm not used to this weather, so it’s great, business is good. We own a shop in town so when the weather’s great, people come out and buy stuff.”
Rob Harkin is from Alberta, which has a drier climate.
“It’s a different type of heat,” he said. “We're not used to the humidity so much.”
Caroline Harkin takes it all in stride.
“It's summer, and there's only so many months of summer, so just enjoy it because the winter will be here soon,” she said.
You may recall, early June had some nights with frost, but these consistent days of high heat are causing health concerns.
Paramedics have been responding to heat- related calls all over the Maritimes, but it’s difficult to say if there’s been an increase.
“It's hard to kind of directly pinpoint if call volumes are increasing due to heat or not,” said Mike Janczyszyn, an advanced-care paramedic with Emergency Health Services. “We approach calls the same way as any other call, we kind of go through our assessment approach and treatment and transport decisions after that.”
Maritimera are being encouraged to check on their neighbours, especially if they're vulnerable in this heat. That includes people with chronic or respiratory illnesses, children, or seniors.
Health officials say you really can't remind people enough of the guidelines of coping with a heat wave.
Drink lots of water;
Stay in shaded areas; and,
Do not leave children or infants or pets unattended in any vehicle.
The heat isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so learn the basics.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Laura Brown.
