How hot or cold it will feel, by town.

Know the signs

• Very hot body, red hot skin, dry or sweating.
• Confusion, slurred speech, strange behaviour, fainting or fits.
• Heat exhaustion comes first: heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea. Rest in shade and drink water; it can turn into heat stroke.

Cool first, then hospital

1. Move the person to shade or indoors.
2. Call 108 or 112.
3. Lay them down with feet raised.
4. If awake, give cool water to sip.
5. Remove outer clothing.
6. Spray or pour cool water over the body.
7. Put wet cloths or ice packs on the body, neck, armpits and groin.
8. Fan them hard. Keep cooling on the way to hospital.

Do not

• Do not wait for the ambulance before you start cooling.
• Do not give anything by mouth to a person who is not fully awake.
• Do not give paracetamol or aspirin for heat stroke; they do not work.
• Do not leave the person alone.

In the heat

• Drink water often, even if not thirsty. When working, about a cup every 20 minutes, but not more than about 1.4 litres an hour.
• Use ORS, lemon water, buttermilk or lassi; avoid alcohol and fizzy soft drinks.
• Avoid hard work in the sun from noon to 3 pm. Rest in shade often.
• Wear light, loose cotton clothes and cover your head.
• Check on older people, children, and anyone ill. Never leave a child or pet in a parked vehicle.

In the cold

• Wear several layers with a wind-proof outer layer; cover head, face, hands and feet.
• Keep clothes and socks dry; wet clothing chills the body fast.
• Watch for frostbite: numb, white or grey-yellow skin on fingers, toes, nose or ears. Warm gently; do not rub.
• Watch for hypothermia: shivering, slurred speech, confusion. Get the person warm and dry and call 112.
• Never use a coal or wood stove or heater in a closed room.

Thunderstorms and air

• When you hear thunder, go into a solid building or a closed car or bus. Stay away from open fields, trees, water and metal poles.
• Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going out. The government's Damini app warns of lightning nearby.
• On poor-air days, cut down long or heavy work outdoors, especially with asthma or heart disease.