Blistering heat and high humidity made life unpleasant for animals and people alike during the tailend of June.

The month ended with .78 inch of moisture compared to 3.88 inches in June 2023.

Temperatures routinely climbed above 100 degrees during the month with highs of 106 on June 26 and June 29.

High humidity made the heat seem even worse.

For instance, while Sunday’s high hit 103 degrees, the National Weather Service reported that the humidity made it feel like 111 degrees.

Pastures, lawns and gardens suffered under the dry, hot conditions.

Stockmen are advised to keep their animals well provided with water and shade if they can arrange it.

While the start of the heat wave and dry spell were welcome in early June, allowing wheat growers to harvest their crop, the continued dry weather and wicked heat made conditions less welcome as the month continued.

The National Health Service reports that during a heat wave more people than usual get seriously ill and die.

Failing to drink enough water is a primary risk during a heat wave. Overheating can make symptoms worse for people who already have problems with their hearts or breathing.

The NHS also provides these tips…

Who’s most at risk?

A heatwave can affect anyone, but the most vulnerable people are:

• older people – especially those over 75 and female

• those who live on their own or in a care home

• people who have a serious or long-term illness including heart or lung conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease or some mental health conditions

• people who are on multiple medicines that may make them more likely to be badly affected by hot weather

• those who may find it hard to keep cool – babies and the very young, the bed bound, those with drug or alcohol addictions or with Alzheimer’s disease

• people who spend a lot of time outside or in hot places – those who live in a top-floor flat, the homeless or those whose jobs are outside

Tips for coping in hot weather

Keep out of the heat if you can. If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter.

Cool yourself down. Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.

Keep your living space cool. Close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 95 degrees. Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep.

Watch out for signs of heat-related illness

If you or someone else feels unwell with a high temperature during hot weather, it may be heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

How hot was it?

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Oklahoma is 120 degrees, reached on several days in 1936. The hottest U.S. temperature is also the hottest temperature ever recorded on the planet, 134 degrees in Death Valley, California in 1913.

Google reports that Oklahoma’s hottest summer took place in 2011 with an average temperature of 87.5 degrees – the average of temperatures recorded from June to August.