Unseasonably Hot Weather Grips Green Country

Craig Day, News On 6

SKIATOOK, Oklahoma -- June is supposed to be warm, but we're much hotter right now than we normally are this time of year.

The concern is that many people aren't acclimated to the hot temperatures just yet and the early heat wave will mean an early spike in heat related illnesses.

The heat was the hot topic at the Skiatook Bluegrass Festival Friday.

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"They moved the festival up from the last weekend in June to the first weekend in June so it would be cooler, that didn't work out to well really," Kenny Cornell, a Broken Arrow resident, said.

Even though it's early in the day, it's already getting hot. Temperatures are expected to be 10 to 15 degrees above normal.

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"Yeah, I heard Alan say that this morning, and there were people cussing him, I heard them," Gary Stout said, laughing.

"When it's this kind of weather, a breeze is really good," said event organizer Larry Nunley.

Thankfully, there's a breeze, lots of shade and plenty of fans in place. But, music lovers are being cautious.

"You could have a heat stroke or something I guess if you weren't careful," Gerry Lay, from Hominy, said.

The heat index is expected to be in the upper 90s to low 100s. That's flirting with heat advisory warnings, which are usually issued when the heat index reaches 105.

"It definitely feels like July right now, it definitely doesn't feel like we got a spring," Kim Yates, of Collinsville, said.

That's the concern. Experts worry since the hot weather is hitting much earlier than normal, many people won't be acclimated to it yet and will be more susceptible to heat related illnesses.

"We plan to keep the kids wet, and lots of water, keep them hydrated that kind of stuff, probably wouldn't have worried about it as much before now," Owasso resident Valerie Hogan said.

Whether it's cooling off the kids, or listening to some cool music, experts want people to be aware of the heat just like they would be later in the summer.

"There's a lot of banjo players and fiddle players and they're really not smart enough to get out of the heat, so there is lots of people here to pick with," Cornell said.

"It's getting warmer and warmer every day," Stout said.