Along with the arrival of astronomical summer — which happened at 10:42 p.m. Friday — has come a brutal heat wave, a stretch of extreme weather that means we all should be aware of the potential for severe health risks.

According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, the Tri-State Area will be under a heat advisory or an extreme heat warning through Wednesday. While the air temperature is expected to reach into the 90s, the heat index likely will be climbing into the 100s.

That extreme heat and high humidity can lead to serious health issues.

More people in this country die from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes combined, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That adds up to more than 1,200 deaths each year due to extreme heat, the CDC reports. In fact, heat-related causes were listed in 1,714 deaths in 2012, the CDC said.

Health professionals who all too often see people suffering from heat exhaustion and heat stroke are recommending taking special precautions with the hot temperatures.

Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature, according to the CDC. Symptoms include an extremely high body temperature; red, hot, and dry skin with no sweating; rapid, strong pulse; throbbing headache; dizziness; nausea; and confusion or unconsciousness.

Get immediate medical attention if you see someone with these symptoms.

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids, the CDC reported.

It is the body’s response to an excessive loss of the water and salt contained in sweat. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure and people working or exercising in a hot environment.

The CDC reported the symptoms include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting and fainting.

The symptoms likely will go away with moving the person to a cool environment, providing cool, nonalcoholic drinks and bathing in cool water.

Keep an eye on fellow workers if working outdoors.

Check on elderly or sick neighbors to make sure they are dealing with the hot temperatures.

Don’t leave children or pets unattended inside a vehicle, regardless of whether the windows are cracked.

Also, keep an eye on outdoor pets. Make sure they have shade and plenty of fresh water. It’s better to move them inside while the heat wave persists.

Drink plenty of water and nonalcoholic beverages. Dress in cool, light-fitting clothes. Wear a hat and make sure to use plenty of sunscreen.

Find a cool place during the hottest time of the day.

While the string of 90 degree-plus days is expected to end in a few days, the forecast is still calling for high temperatures in the mid- to upper-80s with nighttime lows remaining in the 70s through at least the beginning of next week, with only a slight chance of rain predicted during that period.

It adds up to a long stretch of dangerous weather, and that means we should all be taking the proper precautions.