The National Weather Service (NWS) in San Juan issued a heat advisory for the entire Puerto Rico archipelago, warning that the heat index could reach or exceed 106°F on Friday, particularly in coastal and urban areas. The advisory is in effect from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The NWS urged residents to watch for symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, including dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea, heavy sweating, fatigue and fainting.
Citing the CDC, the article notes heat exhaustion results from prolonged heat exposure, while heat stroke is a more serious medical emergency in which the body cannot regulate its temperature, potentially causing organ damage and death if untreated. Risks are highest in coastal zones, low-lying areas, interior valleys and urban zones, especially for people with chronic conditions or without adequate cooling or hydration.
NWS recommended drinking fluids, staying in air-conditioned rooms, avoiding direct sun exposure, wearing light loose clothing, and limiting strenuous activity to early morning or nighttime hours. Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue in interior and northwest sectors through the weekend, with humidity gradually decreasing and a 50 percent chance of rain, influenced by a high-altitude trough and weak-to-moderate east-southeast winds.