Midwest cities bake as heatwave blankets the central US
A pedestrian uses an umbrella to weather 94-degree heat in Chicago on June 21, 2025. PHOTO: THE NEW YORK TIMES
Mr Dick Kraklow rolled into Minneapolis this past week with three generations of his family and several vintage vehicles in tow, excited for an annual gathering of the Minnesota Street Rod Association that celebrates classic cars.
But instead of setting up on the morning of June 21 to display their collection, Mr Kraklow, 42, and his family were loading up to drive back to Wisconsin.
Several members of the group are in their late 70s, and the heat radiating off the asphalt at the state fairgrounds in St Paul on June 20 caused the family to change plans.
'We love the show,' Mr Kraklow, a welder from Muskego, Wisconsin, said as his uncle angled a yellow 1957 Ford Thunderbird onto a trailer. But ultimately, he said, 'It's too hot.'
Millions of Americans on June 21 faced sweltering conditions as a dangerous heatwave brought rising temperatures to the Midwest and Central Plains.
By early afternoon, the National Weather Service reported that the heat index – a measure of how hot it feels that accounts for both heat and humidity – had hit 33.4 deg C in Minneapolis, 36.7 deg C in Des Moines, Iowa, 37.2 deg C in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and 40.6 deg C in St. Louis.
In Omaha, Nebraska, forecasters said that it would feel like it was 100 to 110 degrees this weekend – in the shade.
The most extreme heat was expected to move east and south over the next several days.]
New York City, Washington and Philadelphia could all break 100 deg F (37.8 deg C) on the heat index by the end of the weekend. Several cities could see heat records broken. Over the entire country, more than 64 million people were under an extreme heat warning.
Climate scientists have found that climate change has made heatwaves more common, more intense and longer lasting worldwide, though attributing a specific heatwave to climate change is tricky.
Cities and towns across the Midwest on June 21 had opened cooling centers and issued warnings to residents, advising them to stay out of the sun as much as possible and to check on vulnerable neighbors and relatives.
Some forecasters worried that more people could be at risk because cooler-than-normal temperatures this spring might make acclimating to this sudden jump in heat more difficult.
Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago, where the heat index was over 32.2 deg C and climbing by midday on June 21 , said in an interview that he was 'incredibly concerned about the heatwave'.
Mr Johnson, who was attending a meeting of the US Conference of Mayors in Tampa, Florida, noted that 2025 was the 30th anniversary of a 1995 heatwave that killed more than 500 people in Chicago.
He said city officials were focused this weekend on supporting residents who might be most at risk from heat-related health concerns.
'Our administration has activated the full force of government' to ensure people remain safe, he said, an effort that included the city's parks and libraries; police, fire and public health departments; and a collaboration with utility companies.
In the city's Lincoln Square neighborhood, where forecasters expected temperatures to remain in the 90s for several days, Mr Jeremy Underhill and his 9-year-old daughter took refuge in the shade outside a coffee shop.
'I usually drink hot tea, but it's iced coffee today,' said Mr Underhill, a 52-year-old operations manager at a trading firm. He added that his family was having second thoughts about their commitment to attend an outdoor block party later in the day.
In St Louis, some library branches that were serving as cooling centers were seeing an influx of traffic, said Mr Justin Struttmann, chief operating officer for the city's public library.
He said some residents who headed there for relief had been affected by the severe storm and tornadoes that damaged large sections of the city in May.
'Where we have more people that are in need of those resources – they don't have AC, maybe their home was destroyed, or their AC was knocked out from the storm – those locations are getting an uptick of activity,' he said.
In some areas, including Des Moines, a slight breeze made conditions more tolerable.
Mr Duane Huey, 72, left a Price Chopper supermarket with four 1-gallon jugs of water in his grocery cart.
'Actually, I love the heat,' he whispered, laughing. 'As I've gotten older, the cold gets to me more.' He also said that walking in the warm wind was 'kind of like getting a warm hug.'
Others were similarly unfazed. Mr Moe Nuhman, a 39-year-old jewelry trader, who was out walking 3 miles from his Rogers Park home in Chicago, thought the weather was fine.
'This is Chicago. It gets hot. I love it,' he said. 'When you walk, you live longer.'
Back in Minneapolis, Mr Kraklow and his family finished preparing their caravan of vintage cars for the trip home to Wisconsin.
His son and nephew, both 17, were charged with driving one prized piece of their collection, a 1961 Chevrolet Bel Air, back home along the country roads.
The vehicle didn't have air conditioning. Mr Kraklow did not envy them.
'It's going to be a long day of just sweating in the car,' he said. NYTIMES
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Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Straits Times
Midwest cities bake as heatwave blankets the central US
A pedestrian uses an umbrella to weather 94-degree heat in Chicago on June 21, 2025. PHOTO: THE NEW YORK TIMES Mr Dick Kraklow rolled into Minneapolis this past week with three generations of his family and several vintage vehicles in tow, excited for an annual gathering of the Minnesota Street Rod Association that celebrates classic cars. But instead of setting up on the morning of June 21 to display their collection, Mr Kraklow, 42, and his family were loading up to drive back to Wisconsin. Several members of the group are in their late 70s, and the heat radiating off the asphalt at the state fairgrounds in St Paul on June 20 caused the family to change plans. 'We love the show,' Mr Kraklow, a welder from Muskego, Wisconsin, said as his uncle angled a yellow 1957 Ford Thunderbird onto a trailer. But ultimately, he said, 'It's too hot.' Millions of Americans on June 21 faced sweltering conditions as a dangerous heatwave brought rising temperatures to the Midwest and Central Plains. By early afternoon, the National Weather Service reported that the heat index – a measure of how hot it feels that accounts for both heat and humidity – had hit 33.4 deg C in Minneapolis, 36.7 deg C in Des Moines, Iowa, 37.2 deg C in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and 40.6 deg C in St. Louis. In Omaha, Nebraska, forecasters said that it would feel like it was 100 to 110 degrees this weekend – in the shade. The most extreme heat was expected to move east and south over the next several days.] New York City, Washington and Philadelphia could all break 100 deg F (37.8 deg C) on the heat index by the end of the weekend. Several cities could see heat records broken. Over the entire country, more than 64 million people were under an extreme heat warning. Climate scientists have found that climate change has made heatwaves more common, more intense and longer lasting worldwide, though attributing a specific heatwave to climate change is tricky. Cities and towns across the Midwest on June 21 had opened cooling centers and issued warnings to residents, advising them to stay out of the sun as much as possible and to check on vulnerable neighbors and relatives. Some forecasters worried that more people could be at risk because cooler-than-normal temperatures this spring might make acclimating to this sudden jump in heat more difficult. Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago, where the heat index was over 32.2 deg C and climbing by midday on June 21 , said in an interview that he was 'incredibly concerned about the heatwave'. Mr Johnson, who was attending a meeting of the US Conference of Mayors in Tampa, Florida, noted that 2025 was the 30th anniversary of a 1995 heatwave that killed more than 500 people in Chicago. He said city officials were focused this weekend on supporting residents who might be most at risk from heat-related health concerns. 'Our administration has activated the full force of government' to ensure people remain safe, he said, an effort that included the city's parks and libraries; police, fire and public health departments; and a collaboration with utility companies. In the city's Lincoln Square neighborhood, where forecasters expected temperatures to remain in the 90s for several days, Mr Jeremy Underhill and his 9-year-old daughter took refuge in the shade outside a coffee shop. 'I usually drink hot tea, but it's iced coffee today,' said Mr Underhill, a 52-year-old operations manager at a trading firm. He added that his family was having second thoughts about their commitment to attend an outdoor block party later in the day. In St Louis, some library branches that were serving as cooling centers were seeing an influx of traffic, said Mr Justin Struttmann, chief operating officer for the city's public library. He said some residents who headed there for relief had been affected by the severe storm and tornadoes that damaged large sections of the city in May. 'Where we have more people that are in need of those resources – they don't have AC, maybe their home was destroyed, or their AC was knocked out from the storm – those locations are getting an uptick of activity,' he said. In some areas, including Des Moines, a slight breeze made conditions more tolerable. Mr Duane Huey, 72, left a Price Chopper supermarket with four 1-gallon jugs of water in his grocery cart. 'Actually, I love the heat,' he whispered, laughing. 'As I've gotten older, the cold gets to me more.' He also said that walking in the warm wind was 'kind of like getting a warm hug.' Others were similarly unfazed. Mr Moe Nuhman, a 39-year-old jewelry trader, who was out walking 3 miles from his Rogers Park home in Chicago, thought the weather was fine. 'This is Chicago. It gets hot. I love it,' he said. 'When you walk, you live longer.' Back in Minneapolis, Mr Kraklow and his family finished preparing their caravan of vintage cars for the trip home to Wisconsin. His son and nephew, both 17, were charged with driving one prized piece of their collection, a 1961 Chevrolet Bel Air, back home along the country roads. The vehicle didn't have air conditioning. Mr Kraklow did not envy them. 'It's going to be a long day of just sweating in the car,' he said. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
14-06-2025
- Straits Times
Death toll rises to 11 in San Antonio flooding
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Straits Times
04-06-2025
- Straits Times
Canada, US warn of air quality hazards as Canadian fire smoke reaches Europe
Pedestrians walk along Lake Superior as a haze from Canadian wildfire smoke causes poor air quality in Duluth, Minnesota, on June 3. PHOTO: REUTERS Canada, US warn of air quality hazards as Canadian fire smoke reaches Europe OTTAWA - Canada's wildfires, which have already forced evacuations of more than 26,000 people, continued their stubborn spread on June 3, with heavy smoke choking millions of Canadians and Americans and reaching as far away as Europe. Alerts were issued for parts of Canada and the neighbouring United States warning of hazardous air quality. A water tanker air base was consumed by flames in Saskatchewan province, oil production has been disrupted in Alberta, and officials warned of worse to come with more communities threatened each day. 'We have some challenging days ahead of us,' Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told a news conference, adding that the number of evacuees could rise quickly. Every summer, Canada grapples with forest fires, but an early start to the wildfire season in 2025 and the scale of the blazes – over two million hectares burned – is worrying. The provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba have been the hardest hit. Both declared wildfire emergencies in recent days. 'This has been a very difficult time for many Canadians,' federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski told reporters in Ottawa. 'This wildfire season has started off more quickly, and it's stronger, more intense,' she said, adding that the Canadian military has deployed aircraft to evacuate remote towns in Manitoba and was ready to also assist Saskatchewan and Alberta with firefighting. Climate change has increased the impact of extreme weather events in Canada, which is still recovering from the apocalyptic summer of 2023 when 15 million hectares of forests were scorched. As of June 3, there were 208 active fires across Canada. Half of them were listed as out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Many of the affected populations are Indigenous, and some small communities have burned to the ground. 'Very intense few weeks' Heavy smoke from the fires, meanwhile, has engulfed part of the continent, forcing residents of four Canadian provinces and the US states of Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin to limit outdoor activities. 'Smoke is causing very poor air quality and reduced visibility,' Environment Canada said in a statement. Wildfire smoke is comprised of gaseous pollutants such as carbon monoxide, along with water vapor and particle pollution, which can be particularly hazardous to health. Some of the worst smoke was in Alberta where three major oil sands producers – Canadian Natural Resources, MEG Energy Corp, and Cenovus Energy – this week evacuated workers and temporarily shut down hundreds of thousands of barrels of production per day. Huge plumes of smoke even reached Europe, the European Union's climate monitoring service said on June 3. Due to their very high altitude, they do not pose an immediate health risk, according to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), but are likely to result in hazy skies and reddish-orange sunsets. Additional plumes are expected to shade both continents in the coming days. 'Central regions of Canada have experienced a very intense few weeks in terms of wildfire emissions,' noted Dr Mark Parrington, scientific director at CAMS. Canadian authorities have forecast a more intense fire season than usual in central and western Canada, due in particular to severe or extreme drought. 'The significant reduction in snowpack in the spring led to early exposure of soil and vegetation, accelerating surface drying,' explained University of Ottawa professor Hossein Bonakdari. 'This early exposure acted as a silent amplifier, subtly setting the stage for extreme fires long before the first flame ignited,' he said. Elsewhere, extensive forest fires have been raging in Russia's Far Eastern Federal District since early April, particularly east of Lake Baikal, generating carbon emissions of around 35 million tons, Copernicus reported. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
