First Alert: Heat Advisory Issued as Excessive Humidity Arrives

 Excessive Heat and Humidity: Heat Advisory Issued

Get ready for the heat and humidity we warned you about last week! The heat index will reach dangerous levels on the weekends.

A  HEAT ADVISORY is in effect for the entire area from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Temperatures in the 90s combined with very high humidity will push the heat index to between 105 and 110 from midday into early evening.

To stay safe during excessive heat, drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, avoid direct sunlight, and check on relatives and neighbors. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration advises frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments for those working outdoors. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.

 Today and Tomorrow

The heat will continue to rise through the end of the work week, with temperatures reaching the low to mid-90s by the afternoon. The chance of isolated storms remains low, at 20% today and 30% on Friday. Data suggests a few more storms might appear on Friday afternoon.

Another heat advisory is expected for Friday, with the heat index likely reaching 105 to 110° again.

The excessive humidity will persist into the start of the weekend, with the heat index nearing 110° in some areas on Saturday.

Although there will be a better chance of showers and storms over the weekend, it won't be enough to cancel any plans. Scattered showers and storms are expected in the afternoons, with rain chances at 40%. The heat index will remain high but should fall below heat advisory criteria by Sunday afternoon.

 Massive Fish Mortality: Tens of Thousands Found Stranded on Texas Beach Amid Low Oxygen Levels

Over the weekend, tens of thousands of deceased fish washed ashore along the Texas Gulf Coast, creating a shoreline littered with decaying carcasses and prompting local authorities to advise against visitation.

Tens of Thousands of Dead Fish wash up on a Texas Beach due to Low Oxygen Levels.

On Friday, waves from the Gulf of Mexico carried in vast numbers of dead fish, creating a grim spectacle in Brazoria County, located over 40 miles south of Houston, according to officials at Quintana Beach County Park.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department attributed the mass fish mortality to low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water, a condition making it challenging for the fish to breathe. Termed a "fish kill," such incidents are common during the summer when temperatures rise, the state department noted.

Although no direct link to climate change has been established in this particular occurrence, researchers caution that fish kills may become more frequent with rising temperatures and decreasing oxygen levels in lakes across the United States and Europe.

Dissolved oxygen levels in water typically rise through photosynthesis, a process where plants convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into oxygen. When there is less sunlight, as occurs at night, photosynthesis slows or halts, while the consumption of oxygen by aquatic plants and animals continues unabated, leading to a reduction in oxygen concentration, as explained by Texas Parks and Wildlife officials.

The Gulf menhaden, commonly used as bait by fishermen, was the species most severely impacted by this fish kill, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.

By Sunday evening, efforts had largely cleared Quintana Beach of the deceased fish, with only some remaining that machinery couldn't remove, according to county officials.

In Other SMH America News