Health officials offer three simple rules for beating the heat: stay cool indoors, keep hydrated, take it easy on the physical activity.
With Central Canada expected to be blanketed by heat and smog for the rest of the week, people are being advised to find a nice cool place to chill out.
Temperatures for southern Ontario and Quebec are expected to remain in the low 30s but, with the humidity, it’ll feel like the low 40s or hotter.
“Your body is normally 37C and, with the exposure to the high temperatures, your thermal regulation system will try to cool down your body,” said Dr. Luc Lefebvre, with the Montreal Public Health Authority. “If it’s not working, you’re going to have symptoms.”
Some of those symptoms could include headaches, vomiting and nausea. If body temperature rises further, the possible effects are confusion, co-ordination problems, loss of consciousness and even death.
Lefebvre said some groups are more at risk — notably seniors who often overdress and don’t drink enough water.
Environment Canada’s high heat and humidity warnings for southern Quebec on Tuesday came as advertised.
Ontario was officially in the midst of a heat wave as the temperature rose above the 32C benchmark for a third consecutive day.
Montreal should officially follow suit on Wednesday, which is predicted to be the hottest day of the week.
“This is not just an American heat wave or a Canadian heat wave. It’s really roasting the eastern half of the continent,” David Phillips of Environment Canada said.
“It’s probably more tropical than it is in the tropics.”