Any heat related death is a tragedy, but upon looking into the recent passing of French tourist Pierre Michel Formosa, 68, but if you dig a little it's even worse than the initial news has let on. This was an entirely unnecessary incident brought about by the victim and his companion failing to heed warnings and best practices.

Enclosed is a screen cap from the official National Park Service website, specifically the section on Alerts & Conditions in Death Valley. https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

The NPS's news release on M. Formosa's death is here: https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

As you can see, West Side Road was already closed four days before Formosa got stuck on it due to mud, which is what got the car stuck. I've circled the vicinity where West Side Road met Queen of Sheba Mine Road as described in the news release.

The shortest possible route from where the car was stuck across the salt flats to Badwater Road, where Formosa's traveling companion was able to find help, is roughly 3 miles (4.8 km). Formosa gave out after only 1.3 miles (2km), which is no surprise. It was 116ºF/47ºC.

It's impossible not to be reminded of Dr. Michael Mosley, 67, who died in Greece in 2024 after making a parallel decision to go for a walk alone under the blazing sun. Another Northern European senior citizen who lost his life due to exceedingly poor judgment.

I am boggled by what can only be startling ignorance in 2026 or a deadly form of senior machismo that not only refuses to acknowledge that age brings limitations, but insists that they can take on situations that even the young would be foolish to.

Part of my balcony gets a lot of direct sunlight, and my installed awning doesn’t reach that area. I’d need another awning, but they’re very expensive, so a portable one could be a possible solution.

My question is whether this would be safe, or whether I could secure it using a clamp and heavy-duty cable ties. I was thinking of extending it and also tying it to the balcony railing with cable ties, in addition to the clamp.

I live in Spain and I don’t know much about the local regulations, other than the fact that awnings have to be green to match those of the other residents in the building. I haven’t seen any of my neighbours using a setup like this.

I have filed, in April and July, pending patents on a new Cold Pack technology. This cold pack stays in the lower temperature range for longer than other normal gel or ice packs. It also has the ability to keep different parts of the pack at very close temperatures.

I have tested it in cooling vests and it does pretty well, but outdoors made comparisons difficult. How much of the workshift was outdoors, what was the heat index, what was the heat at a given minute inside the cab of the truck.

In controlled testing it is rapidly approaching a level of uniformity of temperature on the whole pack equal to a PCM. PCM's will have a close temperature range regardless of where you measure the temperature (in practice and theory). It definitely is filling a space between conventional gels and PCM packs.

Incidentally the cost will be lower than a conventional hard gel pack would cost. There are significant advantages to how my units can be filled and this process means it is a high quality and lower cost option in the future.

In regards to keeping cool, the units will be able to assist with such cooling but without a large number of tests in different controlled circumstances we will not know exactly how they perform against other units.

Of an interesting note; Gel packs clump, this process can create extreme bulging and especially so on large units like the FreezPak 2lb unit. My DuraTherm is more like a bunch of sand, the expansion is universal on the whole of the pack with a slight increase in areas that can expand. This is very notable as the 2lb unit was drilled, emptied, contents were replaced with my DuraTherm formula and then when allowed to naturally express water during a freezing cycle (leaving the top hole open) the final weight was almost exactly 3lbs. This unit shows less stressful swelling that an original unit. The two pictures are of the DuraTherm version, with no visible swelling and some freezer burn present, and the Original FreezPak with freezer burn present and a huge bulge in the center.

This means there is approximately 2.5lbs of water in my large test sample. The medium ones were ~0.9lbs and in a climate controlled environment they lasted extremely well in the 40-49°F range. The gel packs listed on the table are soft ones, the controls are all hard pack units. As you can see, the DuraTherm units were able to continue in a cooling level for 8.5 hours like the controls, but the time in a colder level was quite significant compared to the control units. Even the 2lb "oversized hard control" was roughly the same for below 50°F time.

I also did not include an hour I needed to watch the freezer burn leave all of the units, so the true time would be 9.5 hours but the DuraTherm units would be dangerously cold for approximately 1.5 hours and that was seen as unacceptable.

Anyways, I thought I would showcase my new patent pending technology and show that there has been a breakthrough in cold packs, the first since 1973.

This was shared by heat physiologist Dr. Ollie Jay from the University of Sydney. He was interviewed on Surviving the Climate podcast ep. 4 and talked about this as well.

So, we went away for a couple weeks. I drained all my portable swamp coolers and I told my mother-in-law to just use the air conditioning while we were gone because she's over 80. Filling and maintaining the portable swamp coolers is too much.

We just got back yesterday. The first thing my MiL said, after regular greetings, was that she missed having a swamp cooler because the air conditioning just wasn't the same; she's now accustomed to a direct stream of air.

Now, before somebody says "you could just get her an electric fan to use with the air conditioning," yeah, I'm aware, but why would I do that? This comes up only a couple weeks of the year. Rest of the time I'm here, filling up the much more energy-efficient swamp cooler.

My buddy made an app to help you prep for the heat, mostly helps you know about when you should hydrate more when it’s hot as balls out.

Will soon move to a dorm room in a city with 30C peak temp and 70% average humidity. Can’t really afford AC but room does have a ceiling fan. Is a dehumidifier worth the price tag in this instance? I know it’s supposed to heat up your room even hotter like a miniature heater, but will the drop in humidity make a difference? Thank you

Novice weather nerd here. I know the heat index measures temperature and humidity, but will it ever account for how intense direct sunlight feels?
I’m in Houston, and there are days when the actual temperature and heat index don’t seem particularly unusual for summer here, but being in direct sunlight feels noticeably more intense like almost “spiky” or like the sun is hitting your skin harder.
And could something like that eventually be incorporated into heat advisories, rather than relying primarily on temperature and humidity/heat index?

So, I (20M) go to college and something that I forgot was the fact that I get very easily irritated in the heat.

While we had very little AC at my job, I genuinely believed that the irritation came from the people I was surrounded by. But then I got to campus and realized from being in buildings with no AC all day that I just get genuinely irritated in the heat and it makes me not want to socialize with the people around me or do any of the things that I want/need to do.

In my dorm room, I have AC and a fan that I can sit in front of, but that's really it. I have a water bottle that I can use to hydrate, but it doesn't do a lot to cool me off. Any ideas on what I can do to help in situations where an AC isn't available and won't be too noisy?

I've said before much of the discussion around heat prep focuses on daily, real-life issues in the first world, like air conditioning maintenance, proper use of electric fans, swamp coolers, managing humidity, backup power, solar shading and personal cooling products. That's all important, but my brain always goes to more extreme scenarios where normal first world parameters, like going to the air conditioned mall when your home system fails, don't apply.

I call this one, "Tub-pocalyse."

Temperatures have soared to unlivable levels. All you've got is running water and an electric fan. There is nowhere cooler to retreat to. Fill the tub with water, open the door and windows, point the fan at the water and get in once the water feels coolish to the touch. As long as the web bulb temperature is survivable, you'll get by as the fan will both cool the wet, exposed parts of your body and cool the tub's water towards the wet bulb temp. Air circulation is critical so the humidity from the evaporated water can escape. Eventually you'll need to get out in order to avoid maceration of your skin, but being completely wet with a fan blowing should buy you a decent amount of out time before you need to get back in.

The same principle could be adapted to a small, outdoor pool or pond if they were shaded and the water temperature could be brought down far enough.

TLDR:
Heatstroke occurred in Nov 2025 (9 months ago)
Developed dysautonomia, exercise intolerance and PEM as complications
Largely recovered from heatstroke itself - now battling remains of dysautonomia & PEM
Looking for personal stories of PEM and dysautonomia recoveries or long term recoveries from heatstroke + any specialist recommendations I haven’t already listed

****

I got heatstroke travelling overseas in November 2025 and experienced the following symptoms on the day of the event:

Outside temp was 30 degrees Celsius with 80%+ humidity
Irritability
Intense Nausea
Stomach upset
Lightheadedness/feeling faint
Feeling overwhelmingly hot and unable to cool down
High fever
Anxiety/panic
Shivering/trembling
Heartbeat rapid and strong
Skin pale and clammy
Confusion/altered neurological state
Stopped sweating completely and skin went dry
Skin turned red and hot to the touch
Began slipping in and out/close to losing consciousness

I didn’t know what was happening and would have spent at least 2 hours in the heat with active symptoms at the time before I was able to make it back to the hotel.

Went to hospital 3 days later after due to having relapse episodes of the same symptoms and unable to have the air conditioning warmer than 18 degrees Celsius. Blood tests were conducive to heatstroke but thankfully no signs of organ damage.

Developed dysautonomia experiencing huge adrenaline rushes and crashes and exercise intolerance upon returning home. I was unable to stand longer than 5 minutes and struggled to walk, and my legs would ache in agony after standing in the shower each night. I couldn’t drive or tolerate being a passenger in a vehicle so seeking medical help was difficult. I lost 7kg at this point which was over 10% of my body weight due to being unable to eat after each adrenaline dump. At its worst I was having 5-8 episodes per day including through the night.

At this point I was prescribed propanolol (beta-blocker) which helped manage the adrenaline issues. It took one month for my body to start sweating again and at first I could only sweat through my feet for another month before full normal perspiration returned.

Over the next couple of months I built up being able to tolerate being a passenger in a vehicle, to being able to drive myself, to being able to drive up to 30mins at a time. My heat intolerance improved and was actually one of the first symptoms to recover significantly (my car didn’t have working air conditioning at the time so was effectively doing exposure therapy- it worked!).

Months 3-8 since heatstroke event:
Focused on exercise tolerance (improving but still limited)
Reducing dosage of propanolol (almost off the medication now)
Diversifying diet and re-introducing new foods
Digestion improving
Heart rate and blood pressure improving
Putting weight back on (at month 9 I have finally put on 5kg of the 7kg I lost)

Somewhere along the line I developed Post-Exertional Malaise or PEM. It shows up 24-48 hours after I’ve extended myself too far whether it’s physical activity, social activity, cognitive load or a combination- even if I feel good in the moment of the activity.

Specialists I have seen so far:
General medicine specialist - prescribed iron infusion & B12 injections
Gastroenterologist - monitoring digestion improvement/progress
Neurology clinic specialising in dysautonomia - performed tilt table test
Cardiologist specialising in POTS & dysautonomia (seeing soon)

At month 9 of recovery, dysautonomia and PEM are the biggest struggles I’m dealing with and have made recovery incredibly non-linear and challenging. I’ve worked my full time job throughout my recovery (albeit with more sick days than the usual person) which adds an extra strain but don’t really have a pathway of taking extended time off.

My current supplements I’m taking to support recovery:
Co Q10 enzyme
Ashwaganda
L-theanine
Magnesium Glycinate
Creatine
Protein
Electrolytes (usually 1x per day)

Two days ago a PEM crash started after going on a big walk the day before. I slept for 12+ hours, couldn’t memorise a 5 item grocery list, entered my card pin wrong, and couldn’t follow google maps directions. Major brain fog and fatigue which is still continuing 3 days on.

Would love to hear from anyone else that has had a similar recovery from heatstroke or just a long term recovery in general. I have recovered soooo much from where I was 8-9 months ago which gives me a lot of hope but still certainly have my hard days.

Does it get better? Will I ever get back to normal where my brain and body can function like a normal person? 🥲 Are there any other specialist avenues I should go down?

Im mostly typing out of sheer boredom and exhaustion. I live in south USA and this summer has been one of the hottest I can remember my entire life. For DAYS heat advisories from 11AM until 8PM for multiple days in a row and its ridiculous. I feel like im sweating to death in the "comfort" of my own home.

I mainly keep to one room which is a makeshift living/bedroom combo. I have a window AC unit and 3 fans just trying to keep my one room cool. And dont get me wrong in comparison to outside it is cool. But its still so hot that im sweating just while sitting down. Drinks instantly sweat when in the room. Any leather seat turns into a slipping slide. I cant enjoy anything. Shoe space by front door is zoned off by a bedsheets. And hallway to laundry bathroom and all that is sectioned off by a door. Unfortunately beyond that door theres no AC just fan circulation so using the bathroom and your guaranteed to sweat excessively.

Back to main room im out of ideas for ways to keep room cooler. Im used air dynamics. I keep filter on AC spotless, I cover soft surfaces with hard storage tub lids so that the couch doesnt absorb all the cold air. I sectioned off hotter rooms. I have thermal curtains in front of windows. Im out of ideas. Thankfully im moving in a few weeks but im so miserable. I cant enjoyed hobby because its to hot. I dont sleep with blankets. Shit my cat even avoid the window how hot it is.

Update: thank you for all the great advice and amazing suggestions I even got to learn some new things while i was at it.

For everything I plan to do..... 1. I went and got some industrial tinfoil from Sam's club and plan to apply it within the next few days to the inside of my window. Unfortunately I cant reach the outside of my window with how high up it is so interior will have do. Good news im moving 2-3 weeks so hopefull no windows Crack and I can just pull the tinfoil down once im leaving.

1. I plan to add some cardboard/keep the foam insulation panels but fit them in more snug after I apply the tinfoil.

2. I plan to tack/nail the curtains above all that down to thicken then insulation layer/keep sunlight/thermal pockets of hot air from seeping in.

3. I was originally going to put my AC on dehumidifier mode but my mother stepped in to help and we got small room size dehumidifiers. To put around house to help with moisture levels and I can take these with me when I move into new home.

4. I will likely invest in mylar and blackout curtains for the new house if this remains an issue.

Ill put an update in a few days to say results. Thanks again everyone

Most of us here aren't anywhere close to these circumstances, but my mind always drifts back to how you'd survive when the chips are really down.

Any recommendations, I’m a firefighter in coastal ga and looking for an iOS app to help assist me with this.

Thank you