Heat advisory issued for Tampa Bay; temperatures could feel as high as 112 degrees

Be careful at the beach or other outdoor celebrations this Fourth of July. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory Thursday for Tampa Bay.

A heat index as high as 112 degrees Fahrenheit is expected in certain areas. The advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., coinciding with many Fourth of July outdoor events.

The advisory comes as at least one Hillsborough hospital reported seeing a recent uptick in emergency room patients with heat-related illnesses.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 1,220 people in the U.S. are killed by extreme heat each year.

On the social media platform X, National Weather Service Director Ken Graham

those worried about extreme heat should get into a cool area, stay hydrated and check in on others. Young children and infants, older adults, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women are at higher risk for heat-related illnesses and death.