Extreme heat hits Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival as holiday crowds arrive

It's shaping up to be a busy holiday weekend across western Pennsylvania, which includes the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival at Twin Lakes Park in Westmoreland County.

And while many people will be spending time outdoors, the heat means you'll want to take a few extra precautions.

By 11 a.m. on Friday, the temperature at Twin Lakes Park was already in the 90s, and it felt even hotter.

This four-day festival attracts thousands of people from near and far, and everyone is trying in their own way to beat the heat by buying fans, drinking water, and even walking with umbrellas.

The National Weather Service says the signs of heat exhaustion are heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, and muscle cramps. Experts say that if not treated, it can lead to heat stroke, which is a life-threatening emergency, where a person can suffer from confusion, seizures, altered consciousness, and skin that can be hot to the touch.

Luckily, the festival has plenty of shady spots, several misting and water stations, as well as an EMS crew on standby should a larger emergency arise.

Artist Hannah Smolensky from Harrisburg exhibits her Owlfeathers Watercolors at festivals like this all summer long. She says this has been one of the hottest weekends she's experienced anywhere in the county.

"I soak this (towel) in water about every 15 minutes," Smolensky said. "I have one fan right here, and a fan at my feet. I am shamelessly not getting heat exhaustion this year. It has happened every single summer, like the next day after an art show, I am throwing up, feeling sick, but I am determined. This is my weekend to succeed, beat the heat; I am not going to get sick."

It's important to know your limits in the heat this weekend. Stay hydrated, and if you do find yourself getting in trouble with the heat, seek medical assistance.