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This Free Heat Warning System Could Help You Prepare for Dangerous Summer Conditions

The risks of heat are only growing thanks to lasting heat waves, extreme nighttime temperatures and unusual humidity, like the current «corn sweat» in the Midwest.

A massive heat dome is gripping much of the US again this week, with the Midwest facing a brutal combination of scorching temperatures and stifling humidity due in part to so-called «corn sweat,» or the extra moisture crops release into the air. This added humidity is pushing heat indexes well above 100 degrees across parts of the Corn Belt and beyond, compounding the risks for millions under excessive heat warnings and advisories.

The extreme heat bearing down across the US this summer can have a serious impact on public health. Excess heat can exacerbate common health conditions, but it can also mess with your air conditioning, overheat phones and cause meltdowns for other tech. If you live in an area at risk for extreme heat, or know someone who does, you can sign up for a free alert system to help you prepare. The HeatRisk tool from the National Weather Service can send personalized warnings straight to your inbox, giving you advance notice when dangerously high temperatures are headed your way.

HeatRisk is free to use and you’ll want to keep tabs on it to avoid heat safety issues, such as heatstroke, dehydration or fatigue. Here’s how to use it and why you should. 

Read more: This CDC Tool Can Help You Track Heat Risks on Trips and in Your Area

What is NWS HeatRisk?

NWS HeatRisk is a clickable map of the US, which is used to forecast extreme heat and assess the impact of that weather on public health. You can click anywhere on the interactive map and pull up a seven-day forecast of risk assessments for any city, town or area. 

The threat assessment is built on a five-level system that’s color-coded for severity, with green representing little to no risk and magenta representing the highest risk. The map will display a seven-day forecast for anywhere in the country, along with the color of the health threat level.

The system also considers how unusual the heat is for your area, how long the heat is expected to last and how it could affect people who are more vulnerable, such as older adults, kids or outdoor workers.

Read more: Super Common Health Conditions Can Make a Heat Wave More Dangerous: Here’s How to Prepare

Threat colors

NWS HeatRisk has five levels, each with a different color that corresponds to the size of the health risk:

0: Green

According to the NWS tool, there’s little to no risk involved with the forecasted heat at the green level.

1: Yellow

At the yellow level, there’s a minor risk for people who are extremely sensitive to heat.

2: Orange

The orange level represents a moderate risk to the general public, with potential danger to health systems and heat-sensitive industries.

3: Red

Red means there’s a major risk to anyone without access to immediate cooling and hydration, with likely impacts to health systems and heat-sensitive industries.

4: Magenta

The most extreme level is magenta. It’s both a rare occurrence and one that’s of long duration, with no overnight relief and is likely to affect health systems, heat-sensitive industries and infrastructure.

How to sign up for heat risk alerts 

To get free heat warnings, go to Heat.gov, enter your ZIP code and sign up for email or text alerts. You’ll get daily updates when your area faces extreme heat levels that could pose a health risk. 

Signing up for alerts is a quick step that could help you plan ahead, from adjusting outdoor activities to checking on family or neighbors, or just opting to stay hydrated and inside.

Other ways to track heat risks

Similar to NWS HeatRisk, a tool from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called the HeatRisk Dashboard gives you a seven-day forecast to assess the potential health impact from extreme heat. 

Data Explorer is another tool from the CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Program, which offers further HeatRisk information and assessment resources for COVID-19 and other illnesses.

Read more: Here’s How to Keep Your Kitchen Cool (and Lower Your Energy Bill) During a Heat Wave

Why extreme heat warnings matter 

Summer 2025 has already been a scorcher in many parts of the country. It’s important to stay diligent since extreme heat is the deadliest weather hazard in the US, causing more deaths each year than hurricanes, floods or tornadoes. 

The risks of heat are only growing. Heat waves are lasting longer, nighttime temperatures are staying high and unusual humidity — like the current «corn sweat» in the Midwest — can make it even harder for your body to cool down.

Staying informed is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and your loved ones. Along with signing up for alerts, the CDC recommends learning the signs of heat-related illnesses, drinking plenty of water and never leaving children or pets in cars.

For more ways to stay safe this summer, check out CNET’s guide to the best portable AC units, tips for cooling down this summer and how to make your home more heat-resilient.

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Technologies

The FDA Just Upgraded an Egg Recall to the Highest Severity Level. Are You Affected?

Over 6 million eggs were caught up in a salmonella-related recall in September. Now, the FDA says there’s a «reasonable probability» of serious illness.

Scan your shelves for cartons from Black Sheep Egg Company. The company voluntarily recalled more than 6 million eggs after the US Food and Drug Administration found environmental samples at one of its processing centers tested positive for salmonella.

Read more: How Long Do Eggs Really Last in the Fridge? An Expert Explains

«Of the samples collected, 40 environmental samples were positive for salmonella including seven different strains of salmonella,» said the initial recall alert from the FDA. «Some of these strains are known to cause human illness.»

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While multiple Black Sheep Egg Company products have been affected by this recall, the FDA identified 12- and 18-count cartons of Black Sheep Egg Company Free Range Large Grade A Brown Eggs as Class 1.

This is the agency’s highest-severity level recall, and it warns against consuming a product that could «cause serious adverse health consequences or death.»

Which products are affected by the recall?

The recall doesn’t affect every Black Sheep Egg Company egg carton, but check the eggs in your fridge.

You should get rid of the following products if they have a Best By date between Aug. 7 and Oct. 31, or a UPC code that reads 860010568507 or 860010568538:

  • Free Range Grade A Large Brown Eggs, 12-count cartons

  • Free Range Grade A Large Brown Eggs, 18-count cartons

  • Free Range Grade AA Large Brown Eggs, loose-packed in boxes

  • Free Range Grade AA Medium Brown Eggs, loose-packed in boxes

  • Free Range Grade AA Large Brown Eggs, loose open skid

  • Free Range Grade AA Medium Brown Eggs, loose open skid

  • Free Range Grade AA Large White Eggs, loose open skid

  • Free Range Grade AA Medium White Eggs, loose open skid

  • Free Range Grade AA Large White Eggs, 12-count cartons

  • Free Range Grade AA Medium White Eggs, 18-count cartons

Additionally, Black Sheep Egg Company is a supplier for Kenz Henz in Texas. Kenz Henz is also issuing a voluntary recall of the following product if it has a Best By date between Oct. 11 and Oct. 17 and a UPC code of 86949400030:

  • Grade AA Large Pasture Raised eggs, 12-count cartons

Where did the affected eggs come from?

According to the FDA, the salmonella samples were found in Black Sheep Egg Company’s Arkansas processing center.

While Black Sheep Egg Company cooperated with the FDA and voluntarily recalled the potentially contaminated eggs, it had already shipped products to other companies within Arkansas and Missouri. These eggs may have been repackaged and further distributed to other states, so this recall could expand over time.

What should I do if I find the affected eggs in my fridge?

If you find a recalled Black Sheep Egg Company or Kenz Henz product in your refrigerator, discard it immediately. If you’ve eaten any eggs, monitor yourself for signs of illness.

«Illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating food that is contaminated with salmonella, and the symptoms usually last four to seven days,» the FDA statement said. «Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Children younger than five, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe infections.»

If you believe you’ve developed symptoms of a salmonella infection, contact a healthcare provider immediately.

If you find affected eggs in your home, carefully sanitize any countertops, surfaces or containers the eggs have touched. Wash utensils and cooking implements with hot soapy water, then wash your hands afterward.

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Technologies

Samsung TVs Now Can Provide Weather Forecast, Find a Pizza Place

The company is adding a Perplexity AI app to all of its new TVs and even older ones.

You’re sprawled on the couch, watching the latest stream of your favorite show. Why not plan your next vacation while you’re at it? That’s the thought behind Samsung’s latest AI innovation, the Perplexity TV app. It’s a standalone AI agent available on all 2025 Samsung TVs and, later this year, on 2023 and 2024 TVs with the latest OS upgrade.

Earlier this month, at the Berlin consumer-electronics show IFA 2025, the company introduced Samsung Vision AI, which allowed TV viewers to access more information about the shows and actors they were watching. Viewers can also use the Vision AI Companion in other ways, such as receiving recommendations for shows and movies. The Perplexity TV app builds on Vision AI’s skillset.

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Samsung integrated AI across a wide range of its products, including smartphones, appliances, earbuds, tablets and TVs, as part of the company’s vision to «leap forward as an AI-driven company that makes the best use of AI, works with AI, and grows with AI,» executive Roh Tae-Moon said at the 2025 Tech Forum in Silicon Valley last week.

‘Curiosity can strike at any time’

Samsung partnered with Perplexity, a self-proclaimed «free AI-powered answer engine.» Samsung says its Perplexity TV app can provide the weather forecast, find you the closest pizza shop or tell you the date of the Kentucky Derby.

Ryan Foutty, Perplexity’s vice president of business, said creating an AI app for TVs makes sense because «curiosity can strike at any time» and that consumers should be able to access information from AI regardless of the AI-driven interfaces they are using.

Use the apps tab on your Samsung TV to access the Perplexity TV App, or hit the AI button on your remote to access Samsung’s Vision AI Companion. You can also ask the AI questions by speaking into the built-in microphone on the remote and TV, or using the on-screen keyboard.

CNET expert isn’t yet sold

CNET’s David Katzmaier saw Samsung’s AI-enhanced TVs earlier this year at CES 2025, and isn’t quite convinced that this is a vital addition.

«At first blush, a built-in AI agent doesn’t seem to me like a good reason to choose one TV over another,» Katzmaier said. «To make it worthwhile, Samsung needs to prove that it’s better than, say, Perplexity on your phone.»

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Oct. 22, #394

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle No. 394 for Wednesday, Oct. 22.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

How much do you like basketball? If it’s your game, today’s Connections: Sports Edition is for you. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Big Apple hoops.

Green group hint: Hoops winners.

Blue group hint: Shoes.

Purple group hint: Look at the logo.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: New York basketball teams.

Green group: Last four NBA champions.

Blue group: Famous sneakers.

Purple group: Found in NBA team logos.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is New York basketball teams. The four answers are Knicks, Liberty, Nets and St. John’s.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is the last four NBA champions. The four answers are Celtics, Nuggets, Thunder and Warriors.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is famous sneakers. The four answers are Air Jordan, Foamposite, Pump and Question.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is found in NBA team logos. The four answers are bridge, music note, pickaxe and ship.

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