We're all used to sweating it out in North Florida and South Georgia. Drinking lots of water is almost a ritual during the summer months, but this August had some extra "kick" to it.

The average monthly temperature was 84.9 degrees. That's almost three degrees warmer than normal and it marks August 2007 the hottest August on record. Only July 1932 and June 1998 were warmer than last month.

Paul Duval, meteorologist-in-charge of the Tallahassee National Weather Service says, "We have had a large area of very hot high pressure, which has been almost stationary over the eastern portion of the United States, particularly the Southeast, for well over a month and the whole pattern has not changed at all."

Day after day of heat took its toll. The Tallahassee Fire Department has reported an increase in hyperthermia, abdominal pain, dehydration and dizziness compared to last August. Fire officials say the heat may be responsible for some of these ailments.

Paramedic Steve Mays said, "This year has been real hot, especially for the month of August. We've seen an increase in heat-related illnesses."

Mays says thirst is the first sign of dehydration and that you'll want to drink water or a sports drink hours, if not days, in advance of strenuous work.

The heat wave that has covered our area has also smashed records in other southern cities, such as Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery and Nashville, by even wider margins