Heat Advisory in Effect Tuesday

With an expected high of 96 and a heat index up into the triple digits, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued an heat advisory through 8 p.m. today.

To go along with the advisory, the state Office of Emergency Management has issued a list of recommendations for staying safe in the heat.

• Stay indoors in air conditioning as much as possible.
• If you do go outside, stay in the shade.
• If your home is not air conditioned, spend at least two hours daily at an air-conditioned mall, library, senior center or other public place.
• Wear sunscreen outside, along with loose fitting light colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible.
• Drink water regularly even if you are not thirsty. Limit alcohol, and sugary drinks which speeds dehydration.
• Never leave children or pets alone in the car.
• Avoid exertion during the hottest part of the day.
• Take a cool shower or bath.
• Be a good neighbor, check on elderly and people with disabilities in your community who may need assistance keeping cool.

Col. Rick Fuentes, State Police superintendent and director of the Office of Emergency Management, emphasized doing what you can to stay safe in the heat, to avoid heatstroke, heat exhaustion or worse.

"High temperatures and humid conditions have the possibility of making outdoor activities and non air-conditioned facilities extremely dangerous and uncomfortable," said Fuentes.

In Gloucester County, libraries and senior centers are designated as cooling stations, which includes the West Deptford Free Public Library, as well as all county library branches.

Besides the heat, the NWS Mt. Holly office has also issued a Code Orange air quality alert for all of Gloucester County, which means air pollution concentrations may become unhealthy for sensitive groups, include children, senior citizens, people with asthma or other lung diseases or heart disease.

The NWS also said there's a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms between 2 p.m. today and 2 a.m. Wednesday. Tomorrow's forecast is similar, but temperatures should only touch 90 degrees.

For more information regarding heat related emergencies, please log on to ready.nj.gov, visit the National Weather Service Heat Safety Page at weather.gov/om/heat/index.shtml or call 2-1-1, New Jersey’s toll-free, confidential help line.