OFF!'s mosquito forecasting tool predicts "severe" activity in Miami for Memorial Day weekend
MIAMI — As Miamians prepare for the start of summer with Memorial Day weekend, insect repellant OFF! says they should expect things to be buzzing... all thanks to mosquitoes.
According to the OFF!Cast Mosquito Forecast — OFF!'s mosquito forecasting tool — there is a "severe mosquito forecast" for the holiday weekend in Miami.
OFF! stated that there could be some variability within your local area. For example, you are more likely to experience mosquito activity if you're near standing water rather than standing in the middle of a large parking lot. So, be sure to plug your ZIP code into the tool to get the most accurate mosquito forecast.
The OFF!Cast Mosquito Forecast indicates the intensity of mosquito activity based on color-coded guidelines:
Green
- Low: You're safe to go outside and enjoy the outdoors. It is possible that mosquitoes may be lurking around, but the odds are low and the insects aren't probably as active.
Yellow
- Medium: You don't have to be super concerned yet, but the conditions are right for some mosquitoes to come out. If you are the cautious type, then using some insect repellent is a good idea.
Orange
- High: Mosquitoes are out and you will want to protect yourself. The weather is warm and wet enough for mosquitoes to become active and look for food.
"Don't be that meal," OFF! stated. "Protect yourself."
Red
- Very High: It is time to be even more careful because the prime conditions for mosquitoes have been in place for several days, likely resulting in even more activity. You should protect yourself before going outside and bring insect repellent with you in case you need to reapply.
Dark Red
- Severe: Conditions have been perfect for at least 14 days for mosquitoes to become active and breed, which means there are likely to be more of them. Be sure to protect yourself before you leave the house and remember to reapply protection the longer you are outside, ideally every couple of hours.
According to OFF!, mosquitoes are the most active during the early morning and late at night, avoiding peak sunlight hours. This is because direct sunlight can be deadly for insects by overheating and dehydrating them.
"The afternoon is often the best time of day to avoid mosquitoes," the insect repellant stated. "But for those heading to woods and wetlands, try and steer clear of shady areas where mosquitoes are likely to be resting as they avoid the sun."
If you plan on being outside during peak mosquito hours, OFF! stated that you protect yourself and your family with insect repellent before heading out.
The OFF!Cast Mosquito Forecast creates its projections by combining three inputs: knowledge about a mosquito's life cycle, detailed climate data inputs, and mosquito population counts from over 5,000 locations provided by VectorBase. To test its accuracy, it is updated daily with over 15 billion weather data points backed by 60 years of research at the SC Johnson Center for Insect Science, and verified by over 33 million data points from mosquito traps.
