The National Weather Service and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have partnered to develop a tool called HeatRisk that monitors the impact of rising temperatures on our health. This tool provides a seven-day heat forecast across the country, alerting individuals when temperatures may be dangerous to their well-being.
The HeatRisk tool assigns levels of risk ranging from 0 to 4 and color-coded from green to magenta. At the lowest level of 0 or green, heat levels are minimal or non-existent. However, at the highest level of 4 or magenta, heat can be extremely dangerous for individuals, health systems, and heat-sensitive industries.
Dr. Mallika Marshall is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has been the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. She is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and practices at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, where she currently treats patients with COVID-19. Dr. Marshall is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications.
