Heat alerts continue in Buncombe County through Monday

Elevated heat index values were expected to linger across Buncombe County and the surrounding mountains through Monday, with Buncombe, Cherokee, Henderson and Mitchell counties forecast to hit 85 degrees on Sunday. State health officials urged residents to take precautions before heat-related illness turns a hot stretch into a medical problem.

The warning covered Region 8 Mountains counties Buncombe, Cherokee, Graham, Henderson, Macon, Madison and Mitchell, part of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Heat Health Alert System. The system runs from May 1 to September 30 and sends email alerts when forecasts are expected to reach unhealthy levels. NCDHHS says the alerts are designed to protect people most vulnerable to heat, including older adults, young people, outdoor workers and people with pre-existing health conditions. The department also says heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States.

Forecasts showed a sharper edge farther south and west in the region. Macon and Madison counties were expected to reach 86 degrees on Sunday and Monday, while Graham County could reach 87 degrees on Sunday and Monday. For families planning weekend outings, crews working outside and organizations hosting June festivals, that means the timing of the heat matters as much as the temperature itself.

North Carolina’s updated thresholds were developed with Duke University’s Nicholas Institute Heat Policy Innovation Hub and were based on historical heat index data, CDC HeatRisk forecast data and 15 years of NC DETECT emergency department and mortality records. The North Carolina State Climate Office said the most recent update came in spring 2025. The state now groups counties into eight climate regions, and officials say the revised system is three times better at detecting dangerous heat in early summer.

Residents were urged to drink plenty of fluids, limit outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day, spend time in air-conditioned spaces and watch for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The warning also carried a community message for Buncombe County, where hot weather can hit older neighbors, children, outdoor workers and people with chronic conditions hardest if no one checks in before symptoms start.