JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Another day of scorching-hot temperatures hit Jacksonville and parts of Georgia, prompting officials to issue a heat advisory warning for all of southeast Georgia until 7 p.m.
For people spending the day outside, health officials are warning people to drink plenty of fluids and stay hydrated.
In Waycross, Georgia, the temperature felt like 109 degrees Wednesday, and in Jacksonville, it felt like 102 degrees, depending on where people were.
Summer's not even officially here yet, but at 2 p.m. today, the surface temperature along Jacksonville's sidewalks was almost 150 degrees. On one sidewalk, Eric Damon held a sign for hours, trying to make some extra money in heat that he calls oppressive.
"You have to drink plenty of water and Gatorade or Pedialyte; it puts more electrolytes in you," Damon said.
From construction sites to area parks to local car washes people are trying to find ways to cool their body down.
At the Hand Surgery Car Wash, manager Ron Butler said employees are hydrating and preparing for an unusually hot summer season.
"This is just the beginning here. Probably about around August or September it can easily be 100 degrees-plus out here," Butler said.
Robert Sefchik, with Jacksonville Sports Medicine, said it doesn't take long for our body temperatures to rise from 98 degrees to 104 or even 105 degrees. He said without the proper hydration and protection from direct sunlight, people could enter into what he calls the danger zone.
"It really does take a toll. Internally, our bodies are already producing their own heat, so when we add the exterior heat to that, our bodies can only accommodate so much," Sefchik said.
"You may find yourself feeling faint, you may pass out or feel very thirsty, cramping, anything like that. We see a lot of headaches with dehydration," he said.
Sefchik says people who work outside often underestimate the effect the temperatures have on their bodies.
"They don't think about taking breaks, like a coach has regimented in a practice scenario. These guys are out there, laboring in the intense heat and not even thinking about it," Sefchik said.
When your body reaches the temperature of 105 degrees, you can experience heat stroke. And if your body temperature reaches 107 degrees, it could result in irreversible organ damage and even death.