MERCURY: a hybrid reasoning system for forecasting heat-related mortality

Many factors influence the effective forecasting of deaths attributed to excessive heat. Unusual increases in the number of deaths during these “heat waves” are typically most prevalent in large urban areas. Strategies for extraction of and reasoning with knowledge about the weather as well as economic, demographic, and housing factors can be used in the analysis of mortality from heat waves. The present paper focuses on the development of a hybrid intelligent reasoning system to aid public health officials and weather forecasters in the prediction, prevention, and mitigation of the adverse effects of heat waves on localized urban populations