🩺 Record Heat Today, a Jacket Night by Saturday and a Free Lung Screening Bus Coming to Dunlap: Your Healthy Valley Report

Or: Near-90 Wednesday and Thursday, a 50-Degree Drop by the Weekend, CHI Memorial’s Mobile Lung CT Stops at Dunlap Walmart Oct. 30, and Medicare Season Opens Thursday

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Wednesday, October 14, 2026

This week the weather is acting like a screen door that can’t decide if it’s open or shut. Today and Thursday feel like July. By Saturday night, you’ll want a quilt on the bed. None of that is cause for worry. It just means a little planning keeps everybody comfortable, and that’s what this report is for.

Here’s what’s in it: near-record heat today and Thursday, with highs near 88 in Dunlap, and how to pace the yard work and spot heat trouble early. Then comes the big flip: a breezy Friday and a Saturday night low near 39, with tips for anyone headed to Friday night’s free RAM clinic line in Chattanooga. Good local news, too: CHI Memorial’s Breathe. Easy. mobile lung CT bus stops at the Dunlap Walmart on Friday, Oct. 30. And a quick reminder that Medicare Open Enrollment opens tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 15.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Hot today and Thursday: Highs near 88 in Dunlap. Do outdoor chores early or late, drink water before you’re thirsty, and take shade breaks.
• Know the signs: Heavy sweating, dizziness, cool clammy skin or nausea means move to a cool spot, loosen clothes and sip water. Confusion or a very hot body means call 911.
• The flip: Friday turns breezy. Friday night near 44, Saturday high near 63, Saturday night near 39. Get the jackets and blankets out Friday.
• Free lung screening bus in Dunlap: Friday, Oct. 30, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Walmart, 16773 Rankin Ave. Call 423-495-5864 to schedule.
• Medicare opens tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 15: Runs through Dec. 7. No change is required. Free help: TN SHIP 1-877-801-0044.

🌡️ Hot Enough to Feel Like July: Pace the Chores Today and Thursday

The National Weather Service forecast for Dunlap calls for sunny skies and a high near 88 today and again Thursday, with light winds. Over the mountain, Local 3 Chief Meteorologist David Karnes is forecasting 90 in Chattanooga today, which would beat the 1954 record of 87, and 89 on Thursday, above that day’s record of 85. A typical mid-October high is closer to 75.

Our bodies got used to cool mornings these past few weeks, so a sudden hot spell can sneak up on folks splitting wood, mowing the last of the season, working cattle or walking the ballfield. The National Weather Service lists the people who feel heat the most: young children, older adults (especially those living alone or on certain medicines), people with chronic health conditions and pregnant women.

The NWS lists the early signs of heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, weakness or tiredness, cool, pale, clammy skin, a fast, weak pulse, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea and headache. The fix: move to a cooler place (air conditioning is best), loosen clothing, use cool wet cloths and offer sips of water. Get medical help if the person throws up or symptoms get worse or last more than an hour. Heat stroke is different: confusion, slurred speech, a body temperature above 103°F, or hot, red skin. That’s a 911 call right away, and the NWS says not to give fluids.

What it means for you: Treat today and Thursday like summer days. Do the heavy work before 10 a.m. or after the shade stretches out in the evening. Keep a jug of water on the tailgate, take breaks, and check on a neighbor who doesn’t have air conditioning. And never leave a child or a pet in a parked car, not even for a quick stop at the store.

👉 Read more (NWS: Heat cramps, exhaustion and stroke) · Local 3: Record highs and a big weekend cool-down

🧥 Sweat Thursday, Sweater Saturday: Getting Ready for the Big Flip

A cold front arrives Friday. The NWS forecast for Dunlap shows Friday sunny and near 78, with west winds gusting to 25 mph. Then Friday night drops to about 44 with north gusts up to 30 mph, Saturday’s high is only about 63, and Saturday night falls to about 39. Sunday warms back to about 67. Hollows and higher ground can run a few degrees colder than the town reading.

A 50-degree swing in about two days is easy on the calendar but harder on the body, especially for older folks, babies and anyone with heart or breathing trouble. The simple answer is layers. Think of it like dressing an onion: a light shirt, a warm middle layer and a jacket you can peel off when the afternoon sun comes out.

Headed to the free RAM clinic? The parking lot at Notre Dame High School, 2701 Vermont Ave., Chattanooga, opens by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, and doors open around 6 a.m. Saturday. That overnight wait now lines up with the coldest, windiest night of the week. RAM already asks patients to bring food, water, their medicines and weather-appropriate clothing. This week, add blankets, a warm hat and a thermos.

What it means for you: Pull the jackets and spare blankets out of the closet Friday afternoon, before the wind picks up. If you ran the heater check we covered Monday, you’re set. If not, it’s still a good Friday chore. Call or stop by an older neighbor Saturday morning to make sure the house is warm enough.

👉 Read more (NWS: Dunlap forecast) · Remote Area Medical: Chattanooga clinic

🚌 A Lung Check That Comes to You: Mobile CT Bus at Dunlap Walmart Oct. 30

CHI Memorial’s Breathe. Easy. mobile lung CT bus, run through CommonSpirit, brings low-dose CT lung screenings to parking lots around the region. Its October calendar lists a stop right here at home: Friday, Oct. 30, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Walmart, 16773 Rankin Ave., Dunlap.

Can’t wait that long? Nearby stops include Friday, Oct. 16, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at CommonSpirit Medical Group Family Medicine, 210 Walmart Drive, Soddy-Daisy, and Thursday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Lowe’s, 3535 Rhea County Hwy., Dayton.

The screening is a quick scan that looks for spots on the lungs early, before symptoms show up, when treatment works best. CommonSpirit says you’re eligible if you are:

• Age 50 to 80 (50 to 77 for Medicare patients)
• Someone with a 20 “pack-year” smoking history (for example, a pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10)
• A current smoker or someone who quit within the last 15 years
• Without signs of lung cancer, and without a chest CT in the last 12 months

If you meet the criteria, CommonSpirit says most insurance plans cover the screening, and uninsured patients may qualify for grants. Adults 40 and older who don’t meet the criteria can choose a $150 self-pay option.

What it means for you: If you or someone at your table smoked for years, this is one of the easiest health checks around: no drive to Chattanooga, just a stop on your regular Walmart run. Call 423-495-5864 to schedule, and print and fill out the patient forms from CommonSpirit’s page ahead of time to speed things up.

👉 Read more (CommonSpirit: Mobile lung screening schedule)

📬 Medicare Season Opens Tomorrow, Thursday: No Rush, Free Help

Medicare Open Enrollment runs Thursday, Oct. 15, through Monday, Dec. 7, 2026. (A quick correction: some of our earlier reports listed Oct. 15 as a Wednesday. It’s a Thursday.) During this window you can review your Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plan and switch if something fits better. Changes generally start Jan. 1, 2027.

What it means for you: You don’t have to change anything. If the mailers start piling up like fall leaves on the porch, set them in one basket and call TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044 for free, unbiased help. SHIP counselors don’t sell insurance.

👉 Read more (Medicare.gov: Open Enrollment) · TN SHIP: Free Medicare counseling

📅 This Week’s Sticky Notes

Quick reminders we’ve covered before, still on the calendar:

• Sat.–Sun., Oct. 17–18: RAM free dental, vision and medical clinic, Notre Dame High School, Chattanooga. No ID or insurance needed. Dental and vision fill early.
• Tuesday, Oct. 20: Fight Flu TN free flu shots, Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave., Dunlap, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central, ages 6 months and up.
• Saturday, Oct. 24: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Year-round drop box at Dunlap Police, 119 Church St.

✅ Your Healthy Valley Checklist

• ✅ Do heavy outdoor work before 10 a.m. or in the evening today and Thursday, with water and shade breaks.
• ✅ Remember the heat signs: clammy and dizzy means cool down and sip water; confused or very hot means call 911.
• ✅ Never leave a child or pet in a parked car.
• ✅ Get the jackets and blankets out Friday afternoon before the wind and the Saturday night low near 39.
• ✅ Going to RAM? Add blankets, a hat and a thermos for Friday night’s wait.
• ✅ Long-time smoker, age 50 to 80? Call 423-495-5864 about the lung CT bus at Dunlap Walmart, Friday, Oct. 30.
• ✅ Medicare mailers go in one basket until you’ve called TN SHIP, 1-877-801-0044.

Practical rule: Work early in the heat, layer up for the chill, and let the free checkups come to you.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist or a trusted counselor about what’s right for you and your family. In an emergency, call 911.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Health Glossary

• Heat exhaustion: The body’s early warning that it’s getting too hot, with heavy sweating, dizziness, cramps or nausea. Cooling down usually fixes it.
• Heat stroke: A medical emergency when the body can’t cool itself, often with confusion and a temperature above 103°F. Call 911.
• Cold front: The leading edge of a cooler air mass. It often brings wind and a quick temperature drop.
• Low-dose CT scan: A quick, detailed X-ray picture of the lungs that uses less radiation than a regular CT, used to find lung cancer early.
• Pack-year: A way to measure smoking history: packs per day times years smoked. One pack a day for 20 years is 20 pack-years.
• Open Enrollment Period: The yearly window (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7) to review and change Medicare health or drug plans for next year.
• TN SHIP: Tennessee’s free, unbiased Medicare counseling program.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How hot will it get in Dunlap this week?

The National Weather Service forecast calls for highs near 88 today and Thursday, then about 78 Friday before the cold front. Chattanooga could reach 90 today, near a record.

What should I do if someone feels sick in the heat?

Move them to a cooler place, loosen their clothes, use cool wet cloths and offer sips of water. Get medical help if they vomit or symptoms last more than an hour. If they’re confused or their body feels very hot, call 911.

How cold will it get this weekend?

The NWS forecast for Dunlap shows Friday night near 44, a Saturday high near 63 and Saturday night near 39, with gusty winds Friday and Friday night. Low spots can be colder.

Where is the lung screening bus in Dunlap?

Friday, Oct. 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Walmart, 16773 Rankin Ave., Dunlap. Call 423-495-5864 to schedule.

Who qualifies for the lung screening?

CommonSpirit lists adults 50 to 80 (50 to 77 on Medicare) with a 20 pack-year smoking history who still smoke or quit within 15 years, have no symptoms and haven’t had a chest CT in the past year. Others 40 and older can self-pay $150.

Will insurance pay for the lung screening?

CommonSpirit says most insurance plans cover it if you meet the criteria, and grants may be available for people without insurance. Ask when you call.

When does Medicare Open Enrollment start?

Tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 15. It runs through Dec. 7, and changes generally take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

🔗 Other Resources

• NWS: Dunlap, TN forecast
• NWS: Heat cramps, exhaustion and stroke
• NWS: Heat safety tips and resources
• Local 3: Record highs and a big weekend cool-down
• CommonSpirit / CHI Memorial: Mobile lung CT screening
• Medicare.gov: Open Enrollment
• TN SHIP: Free Medicare counseling
• Remote Area Medical: Chattanooga clinic
• TDH: Fight Flu Tennessee map
• Dunlap Tribune: Free flu shots Oct. 20
• DEA: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

🌻 Two Kinds of Weather, One Calm Plan

Hot days and chilly nights in the same week are just Tennessee being Tennessee. Drink water, work early, pull out the jackets Friday, and look in on the folks next door. If a free checkup rolls into the Walmart parking lot, take it as the gift it is.

We’ll keep watching for clinics, screenings and free services so you don’t have to. Read Dunlap.Today and sign up for our newsletter for plain-English Valley news, and find local businesses anytime on Dunlap.Directory.