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Hot, humid weather is more than uncomfortable; it can be dangerous. The UVa Health System Pediatric Emergency Department treats an average of 70 children each summer for heat-related illnesses. With summer temperatures in the Charlottesville area reaching into the 90s, prolonged outdoor activities can be hazardous.

Welcome to the UVa HEATline, an information resource for area children, parents, and those coordinating summer activities and programs for children (i.e. coaches, camp directors, and child care providers). The Heatline provides current heat index information for the Charlottesville area and guidelines for preventing heat-related illnesses. The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index used by this site, was developed by the U.S. military to model the stress on the human body in hot, humid environments. The heat index information is updated throughout the day and is available through this website and also through the Heatline telephone resource:

HEATline (local)  434-243-7207
HEATline (toll free) 1-866-268-1472

Being aware of the health risks involved with warm weather activities is important for everyone, but did you know that children are more susceptible to heat illness?

  • A child's body temperature increases 3 to 5 times faster than an adult
  • Children have a much lower sweating capacity which reduces their ability to cool down
  • Children produce more body heat for their size than adults
  • Children acclimate to temperature changes much slower than adults

Heat stroke is one of the primary causes of activity-related deaths in high school athletes. Read why athletes are particularly at risk.

Never leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles. The temperature of a vehicle can quickly climb to dangerous levels during warm weather.

The colored flag shown at the top of this page indicates the health risk associated with the current heat and humidity readings for the Charlottesville area. The flags change color from white to green to yellow to red to black as the heat index increases. Read more about the heat index.

Check conditions in the surrounding areas by using the pulldown menu to select one of nine locations: Charlottesville, Orange, Culpeper, Staunton, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Farmville, Richmond, and Louisa.

The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature is obtained daily from National Weather Service temperature and humidity readings taken under normal conditions at area airports. Please understand that this number can vary depending on location. Guidelines summarize approaches for the prevention of the detrimental effects of children's activity in hot or humid climates, including the prevention of exercise-induced dehydration.