Symptom: Dry, itchy skin. Photo by Fuse/Getty Images. What it might mean: It's probably winter itch, skin dryness that's a result of cold, dry air. Using a humidifier, avoiding super hot showers, and routinely slathering on a thick moisturizer will help keep skin supple.
But Death Valley is affected by several of the main causes of heat waves - the frequent presence of a high pressure system (helped by its below sea level elevation), downslope air movement from surrounding mountains, and radiation of heat from the surrounding cliffs.
This causes the body's temperature to rise even faster. Furthermore, with the increase of the body's temperature, the metabolic process will speed up causing even more heat in the body. If left untreated this will result in death. One of the easiest ways to spot heat stroke is the skin.