St. Kitts and Nevis: Temperature hits record 31.7°C high, heatwave advisory issued

St. Kitts and Nevis: The Meteorological Services in St. Kitts and Nevis has issued a heatwave advisory after confirming that the temperatures registered over the last two consecutive days exceeded the threshold of 31.7 degrees Celsius (89.06°F).

The soaring temperatures over the weekend pushed the Met Office to issue this advisory as it poses serious health risks for everyone. 

According to the information, on May 18, the maximum temperature on the island was reported to be 31.8 degrees C while on May 19, it was 32.4 degrees C. 

The Met Office also stated that this trend in high atmospheric temperatures is anticipated to continue throughout the summer with the office of the Chief Medical Officer highlighting the significance of taking immediate precautions to safeguard against the adverse effects of the rising temperatures in St. Kitts and Nevis. 

While urging the citizens to take some precautions during this heatwave, the Met Office shared some health tips which advised people to stay indoors as much as possible particularly between 10 am to 3 pm. It further said that people who wants to go out must wear protective gear such as a hat and sunscreen. 

The Office also reminded people to stay hydrated and asked persons who provide care to older people to ensure that their environment is well ventilated as well as cool during the day and night and also that they get adequate amount of water from time to time. 

In addition to this, the authority suggested everyone to wear light and loose fitting clothing and also to limit their physical activity and exercise during cooler hours of the day.

Not only this, but it is also advised to schedule cooking times for cooler hours of the day and to also monitor the weather forecast and temperatures everyday to schedule activities ahead. 

According to the Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum, the early part of the Caribbean Heat Season this year is said to be noticeably hotter than usual. This means that the climate change is affecting the islands way ahead of the hurricane season.