Nashville Faces Five Heat Advisories In A Single Week

Nashville faced five heat advisories this week — with actual temperatures and the heat index reaching about 95 and 105 degrees, respectively.

But that didn’t keep locals and tourists from visiting Centennial Park on Thursday.

“I didn’t know there was a heat advisory,” said Gabriel Tyson, a local musician who sells cannabis products from a bicycle-pulled cart. “I don’t really pay attention to those sort of things. I’d be out here either way.”

Aeran Baskin, of North Carolina, packed a notebook and water and found shade under trees.

“I try to enjoy the weather as much as possible,” Baskin said. “The other alternative is winter. I’d rather be outside than not outside.”

Eva Connolly and Morgan Dodson, visitors from Texas, said they’re used to extreme heat.

“I’ve played tennis in a 114-degree heat,” Connolly said. “I think you should just drink some more water and toughen up.”

But both girls said easy access to air conditioning is essential.

“If you’re in the Northeast and there’s no air conditioning, I think it changes the game,” Connolly said. “But there’s air conditioning in the South.”

“Cool off when you need to and get back out there,” Dodson added.

NWS Nashville issued a fifth heat advisory this week — the fifth this year — on Friday. To warrant a heat advisory, the city must be expected to reach an actual temperature of 103 degrees or a heat index value of 105.

As cities around the world break heat records or make headlines with 110-degree weather, 95 degrees might not sound so bad. But it’s important for Southerners to mind the humidity and check the heat index.

In Nashville and other dense cities, heated evenings are also a threat. Climate change has increased the number of days with high nighttime temperatures, defined in the National Climate Assessment as above 75 degrees, which can impact a person’s ability to recover from high daytime temperatures.