Dire warning issued as 27 US states to feel hotter than the Sahara Desert TODAY
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued heat advisories and excessive heat warnings for dangerous temperatures stretching from Texas to the Northeast.
According to AccuWeather, the worst of the heat is building across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Oklahoma, where temperatures are expected to reach 110 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cities like Shreveport, Memphis, and Little Rock are expected to see some of the most dangerous conditions through the weekend.
In West Virginia, the NWS has issued an Extreme Heat Watch for Friday, with a predicted heat index of 108, which is hotter than the Sahara Desert, where temperatures Thursday are expected to hover near 84 degrees.
Officials said the combination of scorching days and warm, humid nights pose the highest risk of heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
'Heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events,' the NWS warned in an alert.
Local emergency agencies recommended staying inside during peak heat hours, typically 11am to 8pm, drink more water than usual, wear light clothes, and avoid strenuous outdoor work. Cooling centers have been opened in several cities to help people beat the heat.
'Never leave children or pets in vehicles. Car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in minutes,' NWS officials warned.
Adam Douty, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, told USA Today the country has already dealt with average temperatures one to three degrees above normal this summer.
'And it's going to feel a lot warmer than it actually is because of the humidity,' he said.
A heat dome works like a lid. High pressure builds overhead, trapping hot air at the surface, suppressing clouds, and intensifying sunlight.
It also pulls moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, cranking up humidity across entire regions.
This dome, now centered over the Southern Plains, is expanding north and east. Little Rock, Memphis, and Dallas have already crossed the 110-degree mark, with overnight lows staying around 80.
That's especially dangerous in cities, where heat lingers long after sunset due to the 'urban heat island' effect, when cities absorb and trap heat in the streets during the day, then slowly release it at night.
Materials like concrete, asphalt, and brick hold onto that warmth, making it harder for temperatures to cool down after sunset.
Brett Anderson, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said: 'Sleeping will be difficult for some, with a high risk of dehydration.'
'For those that only have a fan or open window to keep cool, it is not enough,' he added.
According to AccuWeather report, this week Oklahoma City, Little Rock, and Wichita just saw their first 100-degree days of the year. The Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Northeast are now bracing for the same.
On Friday, heat index values are expected to soar to between 105 and 115 degrees in cities like Boston, Cleveland, Washington, DC, Indianapolis, and Charleston, West Virginia.
In the Midwest, the heat dome's humidity has been amplified by 'corn sweat, ' the moisture evaporating from large fields of crops in states like Iowa and Illinois.
The phenomenon pushes dew points higher, making the air feel even heavier and more oppressive.
According to The Weather Channel, Philadelphia and New York City could reach highs in the mid-90s on Friday, and heat index values may be as high as 105 along the I-95 corridor from Washington DC through Baltimore.
AccuWeather reported that a few daily high temperature records may be broken, especially in New York City, Philadelphia, Hartford, and Newark. Some of those records date back over a century.
By early next week, forecasters expect another surge of dangerous heat, with the dome shifting westward into the Central US and interior West.
The South, meanwhile, is locked into a stretch of upper 90s to low 100s that could stretch well into next week.
Scattered afternoon storms may also pop up in places like the Midwest and Ohio Valley, bringing deadly flash floods and damaging winds.
Parts of Missouri, Indiana, and Tennessee may see heat indices near 115 through the weekend, according to AccuWeather.
'At this level, it can be dangerous for many people who are exposed to the heat for an extended period of time,' Anderson warned.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning as Northeast choked by smoke from wildfires
An urgent air quality warning is in place for New York and parts of New England as smoke from the Canadian wildfires continues to choke the US. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, parts of Eastern New York, and Southern Maine are under air quality alerts through Saturday. Areas like Boston, Providence, and Burlington will face 'unhealthy' levels, with the capital of Massachusetts reaching as high as 155, according to Fox Weather. 'Good' air quality is from zero to 50, while moderate is 51 to 100. Over 150 means some of the general public will experience health effects and sensitive members have a higher risk of serious reactions. Short-term health effects include irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, and could cause sneezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Residents in some areas are being urged to limit the amount of time they spend outdoors. The majority of the Northeast will fall in the moderate and unhealthy for sensitive people - including pregnant women and young children - but that doesn't mean residents won't see the side effects. New York City, which falls in the moderate category, has already begun to see hazy skies through the middle of the day on Saturday. Air quality is expected to be between 101 and 150 on Sunday in the Big Apple, NYC's Emergency Management advised. The smoke came in behind a cold front on Friday, according to Fox Weather. Northerly winds and high pressure trapped the smoke, leading to air quality issues across the region. The smoke will move toward the ocean as rain from the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley move toward the area late Saturday. The haze should fully clear out by Sunday, according to Fox Weather. However, it might not leave for long as it could return early next week. There are currently 550 wildfires burning in Canada, scorching 15million acres. The blazes have left Montreal with the worst air quality in the world on Saturday morning, according to Town and Country Today. By the afternoon, it dropped to second place, behind Kinshasa, Congo. Environment Canada has urged Canadians in Montreal to reschedule outdoor events and to stay indoors. 'During heavy smoke conditions, everyone's health is at risk regardless of their age or health status,' the agency said. Quebec is also expected to return to normal air quality levels by Sunday.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Canadian wildfires prompt New York air quality alert
An air quality health advisory has been issued for New York City and its surrounding areas because of smoke from wildfires in Canada. In a post on X, New York state's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Health (DOH) issued the advisory for Long Island, New York City Metro, Lower Hudson Valley, Upper Hudson Valley, and the Adirondacks on Saturday. Authorities are warning air quality in those regions is "unhealthy for sensitive groups".Wildfires in Canada have forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes, and the smoke drifting over the border has sparked air quality concerns across the northern United States. The air quality index (AQI) is predicted to be above 100 in much of New York state on Saturday, and could reach 135. Alerts are also in place for parts of New AQI measures the severity of pollution in the air and categorises health risks. The higher the number, the more unsafe the air is to breathe. This is not the first time US authorities have issued air quality alerts because of smoke from the Canadian mid-July, a similar alert was issued for Chicago, with additional precautions advised for babies and the political implications of the wildfire smoke have also reached in July, six members of Congress wrote to the Canadian ambassador complaining that smoke from wildfires was making it difficult for Americans to enjoy their are currently more than 550 active fires in Canada, with the most concentrated in the province of Manitoba, according to authorities. 6.1 million hectares (15 million acres) of land has been burnt across the country in the past and June were particularly destructive months in western Canada, with roughly 30,000 people forced to evacuate in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where local administrations declared a state of have consistently linked the intensifying wildfire seasons to climate is believed to be warming at twice the global average rate, and its Arctic regions are heating up at nearly three times the global rate, scientists have warned.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Heat advisories and warnings issued for Southeast and Midwest as temperatures and humidity soars
It's always hot in the summer in the U.S. Southeast, but even by the standards of Florida and the Carolinas, the steamy heat wave on tap for the region Saturday into the coming week is a little extreme. The National Weather Service issued heat advisories for a large swath of the East Coast from central Florida to Virginia through much of the weekend. Highs in the upper 90s F (mid 30s C) were forecast for central Florida, with heat indexes reaching 105 degrees F to 110 degrees F (40.6 C to 43 C). The outlook was similar up through Georgia and the Carolinas into Virginia. Extreme heat warnings were out for much of eastern North Carolina, as far inland as Raleigh, and extending into a corner of South Carolina, including Myrtle Beach. Forecasters warned of dangerously hot conditions with temperatures approaching or exceeding 100 F (38 C) in some areas on Sunday and heat indexes up to 115 F through Sunday evening. 'Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. the weather service advised. "Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Stay cool, stay hydrated, stay informed.' The weather service said several major metropolitan areas in the Southeast — including Raleigh and Charlotte in North Carolina, Greenville-Spartanburg in South Carolina, and Atlanta in Georgia — were expected to face an extreme heat risk for several days, with minimal overnight relief. It said over 30 million people would likely be affected at the peak of the heat wave through midweek. A hot, humid weekend was also in store for the Midwest. Extreme heat watches were out for eastern Nebraska, western Iowa and southern Minnesota. Heat indexes were expected to reach 96 F (36 C) on Saturday and go even higher on Sunday in Minnesota. And an extreme heat warning was out for the St. Louis, Missouri, area through Tuesday evening, with highs around 99 F (37 C) and heat indexes around 110 F forecast for Monday and Tuesday. Parts of Iowa were hit by storms Saturday morning that dumped between 2 and 5 inches (5 to 13 centimeters) of rain in some areas and triggered flash flood warnings.
