Latest news with #Plains
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Heat dome continues to raise temps across South and Midwest, will begin to move into Northeast
'Corn sweat' has increased temperatures throughout the Plains and Midwest this week. The 'heat dome' that has hovered over tens of millions of people in the South and Midwest this week is now spreading into parts of the Northeast on Thursday, according to the Weather Channel. A heat dome is a high-pressure bubble in the upper levels of the atmosphere that traps hot air and sun radiation underneath it. The Climate Reality Project, a nonprofit focused on climate change advocacy and education, compares heat domes to putting a lid on a hot pot; the lid keeps the hot air from leaving the pot and keeps the contents of the pot hot for a longer time. While late July usually is the hottest time of the year for most of the U.S., AccuWeather reports these temperatures will be 5 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the historical average. An 'Extreme Heat Watch' advisory alert, which warns 'dangerous heat is possible,' was issued for West Virginia on Thursday. An 'Extreme Heat Warning' alert, which warns 'dangerous heat is happening or about to happen,' was sent to areas in Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York on Wednesday. Some of these extreme heat warnings were sent to major cities like Boston, Detroit, New York City and Washington, D.C., where temperatures will reach the mid-90s by Friday, the Weather Channel reported. However, temperatures in these areas are expected to drop over the weekend. Parts of the Midwest and the South will still be in temperatures near or above 100 degrees through the rest of the weekend, and potentially into the middle of next week. Florida, which has been experiencing hot and muggy conditions across the state all week, will continue to experience high temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s on Thursday and Friday, according to Florida Disaster, a division of the state's Department of Emergency Management. The state's heat index values will be particularly high on the western side of the Florida Panhandle, compared to the rest of the state. (The National Weather Service (NWS) 'heat index' is a calculator that estimates what outdoor temperatures feel like to the human body.) Experts cannot determine exactly when the heat dome will end. Heat domes take a long time to break down, Bryan Jackson, a meteorologist at the NWS's Weather Prediction Center, told Scientific American, so the extreme heat is expected to last through the rest of the week for some areas. 'Corn sweat' drives up humidity in the Midwest As heat index values in the Midwest peaked this week because of the heat dome, high humidity levels have contributed to 'corn sweat' in these areas. Corn sweat is a colloquial nickname for evapotranspiration, which is when plants, like corn stalks, release water vapor into the air and essentially turn it into additional humidity that can drive up humidity levels and heat index numbers in the area, according to the Weather Channel. This mostly affects people in the Midwest, with residents in Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois and Kentucky experiencing heat index numbers in triple-digits because of the corn sweat, the Washington Post reported. The corn sweat has also affected these areas' dew points, which correlate to how much moisture is in the air, NWS explains. The higher the dew point, the more muggy and wet the air will feel. A dew point minimum of 75 equates to an extreme humidity level and feels 'oppressive, like a tropical rainforest,' according to the Washington Post. In areas affected by the corn sweat, such as southern Missouri, the dew point is at 88. Northeast, Midwest also warned about severe thunderstorms AccuWeather meteorologists alerted on Wednesday that severe thunderstorms are expected to move across the Midwest before hitting the Northeast in the next few days. These storms carry the potential for high winds and hail, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. The worst of the storms are expected to hit throughout Thursday afternoon and evening, mostly affecting cities like Chicago, Detroit, Oklahoma City and Kansas City, before shifting into the Northeast on Friday. While it's rare to see precipitation happen within a heat dome, severe thunderstorms are likely to form around its edges, often called the 'ring of fire.' "In the world of meteorology, the ring of fire deals with thunderstorms along the northern edges of strong upper-levels high,' AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. 'Oftentimes, this setup produces severe thunderstorms along the northern edges of the heat.' How to stay safe in extreme heat Extreme heat is the deadliest type of weather in the U.S., even more so than tornadoes, flooding or hurricanes, according to research by the NWS. Prolonged extreme heat, as is expected in the heat dome this week, is especially dangerous for people who do not have access to air-conditioning or who spend a lot of time outdoors. If you live in a place that will be affected by the heat dome, here's what to do to help protect yourself: Stay indoors and cool for as long as you can. Here is a list of public places you can go to for free air-conditioning. Stay hydrated. Adding electrolytes to your drinking water can further protect you from dehydration. If you need to go outside, protect your skin by wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, sun-protective clothing and UV-blocking sunglasses. Understand and look out for symptoms of heat-related illness. These include heavy sweating, fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps, nausea and headaches. If you are experiencing these symptoms, move to a cool area to rest and hydrate. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
6 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Heat advisory in effect for North Texas due to dangerous temperatures
A Heat Advisory is in effect until 9 p.m. Saturday due to dangerous heat. High temperatures will reach into the mid-90s, which is typical for this time of the year. However, a dense plume of tropical moisture is lingering across the area. The heat, combined with the high moisture content, is causing the heat index values to reach up to 107 degrees on Saturday afternoon. The heat and the moisture will not only spike the heat index values, but they will also promote the opportunity for storms Saturday afternoon. Heat-driven storms will be likely across North Texas, and the highest chance of rain will be along and to the east of I-35. Not everyone will see rain, but those who do may get brief heavy downpours and frequent lightning, but no severe weather is expected. Storms will fizzle out by sunset. A ridge of high pressure will move into the Plains over the next several days, resulting in an increase of the actual temperature outside and a decrease in the humidity levels. Some of the hottest high temperatures of the year will be in the forecast next week. It has been 337 days since DFW has seen a triple-digit day; that streak will likely be broken soon. Some ways to beat the heat are to take frequent breaks in the A/C, wear loose-fitting and light-colored clothing, as well as drink plenty of water. Stay safe.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
High beef prices will likely linger, even after cookout season ends
Beef prices are coming in hot this summer. Steak and ground beef prices just hit record highs, according to June inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which has tracked beef prices going back to 1984. Still, demand has stayed strong. Beef is the second most-consumed meat in the U.S., after all, and summer barbecue season is a particularly popular time. 'Peak demand time for beef typically happens around the Fourth of July,' said Bernt Nelson, an agricultural economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation. 'Through the second half of the year, demand kind of slows down seasonally for beef.' That means prices could also come down a bit. But even after Americans put their grills away for the season, the U.S. beef industry will continue grappling with long-term supply issues. Cattle herds have been shrinking over the last few decades. They dropped another 1% from 2024 to 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The number of beef cows that have calved is also down 1%, reaching a new record low. That means the current cattle herd is the nation's smallest since 1951, according to the Farm Bureau. Climate issues have exacerbated the shortage. Agricultural experts say drought over the last few years in the Plains and Upper Midwest has dried up the supply of grass for cattle. It has forced farmers to reduce their flocks, and the cattle count still hasn't recovered. 'The drought conditions really placed a lot of stress on our farmers and their pastures that they rely on to help feed cattle,' Nelson said. 'When this happened, they placed high numbers of females on feed for market rather than holding them back to replace the herd. And so that led us to this slow but steady contraction in the cattle herd.' Import issues have also restricted the cattle supply. The U.S. government suspended cattle imports from Mexico in May due to the parasitic screwworm affecting cattle there. More challenges await. President Donald Trump's threatened 50% tariff on imports from Brazil, slated to start Aug. 1, could tighten supply even more. About 8% of U.S. beef is imported from places like Brazil, Argentina and Australia, said Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo's chief agricultural economist. With the looming tariffs, Brazilian meatpackers are rethinking exporting to the U.S., according to an industry lobby group. Ground beef is averaging $6.12 per pound, up 11.84% from a year ago, according to the BLS, meaning a 6-ounce hamburger patty could cost around 24 cents more now than last summer. Steak is averaging $11.49 a pound, up 8.05% from a year ago. All told, the Agriculture Department predicts beef and veal prices could rise 6.8% overall this year. It expects smaller price increases for pork and poultry. Companies, in turn, are flocking more to chicken, with fast-food chains like McDonald's, Wendy's and Chipotle all offering new chicken options. Tyson Foods, one of America's largest meat companies, has also recently launched new chicken items. 'When we've got an environment that is challenging in beef and you've got an environment where there's probably less availability of beef, it's helpful and certainly in the total complex to be able to manage that multi-protein, multichannel portfolio,' Tyson Foods Chief Financial Officer Curt Calaway said in a May presentation. Walmart is shifting its beef strategy, opening its first-ever owned and operated case-ready beef facility last month. The retail and grocery giant says the new facility will help it increase capacity and improve its supply chain, cutting costs and helping consumers get high-quality beef at low prices. While cattle farmers are trying to rebuild their herds, the recovery for the beef industry may take years, agricultural experts said. 'If I want to have more chickens, I just have to wait three to six months,' Swanson said. 'If I want to wait for more cattle, I gotta wait three to four years to get a lot more cattle.' This article was originally published on
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Extreme heat is back — here's where it will be the worst
The United States has entered the peak of summer and a new heat dome — sealing in all that hot, humid air — is about to make millions of people feel every bit of it. Some cities could notch their highest temperatures of the year as heat builds from the South to the Midwest this week while humidity drives the heat index, or how hot it will actually feel, well into the triple digits. Sizzling conditions began to set up from the Gulf Coast to the Plains on Tuesday, with more than 60 million people under heat alerts from Florida to South Dakota. Cities across these regions, including Memphis, Atlanta and St. Louis, saw temperatures climb into the 90s Tuesday afternoon. Heat remains the deadliest form of extreme weather in the US. Globally, heat waves are becoming more frequent, more severe and lasting longer as the world warms due to fossil fuel-driven climate change. The heat will ramp up in intensity and expand to the Midwest on Wednesday. Brutal temperatures will stretch from the South through the Midwest on Thursday and also start to push into the East. Wednesday and Thursday could be the new hottest days of the year in cities like Chicago, St. Louis and Memphis: Chicago and St. Louis are expected to soar into the upper 90s both days while Memphis could flirt with the triple digit mark. Unlike the intense heat wave earlier this summer, this bout of stifling heat isn't likely to topple hundreds of records. But records don't need to fall for heat to be incredibly dangerous: A Level 3 of 4 heat risk stretches from the Gulf Coast to Michigan's Upper Peninsula on Wednesday, and pockets along the Mississippi Valley and Gulf Coast are under a Level 4 of 4 'extreme' risk that will linger through Thursday. Heat this severe impacts anyone without access to effective cooling or proper hydration, not just vulnerable populations, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And for those without air conditioning, staying indoors can become deadly during the hottest parts of the day, the agency warns. For those under the highest risk level, the heat dangers are heightened because there will be little to no overnight relief. The heat index — also known as the apparent temperature — will soar to dangerous levels for tens of millions this week. Heat indices soared into the triple digits across the South and parts of the Central Plains on Tuesday. Temperatures felt as high as 110 degrees along coastal Georgia and South Carolina in the afternoon. By Wednesday, some parts of the Mississippi Valley, including Memphis, could have a heat index of between 110 and 115 degrees. Humid conditions will also prevent temperatures from cooling significantly overnight. It could still be close to 80 degrees in St. Louis by sunrise Thursday — nearly 10 degrees higher than a typical low for July. Chicago is expected to see low temperatures in the upper 70s Thursday morning, a departure from the typical lows in the 60s for this time of year. When overnight temperatures don't cool down enough to offer relief for overheated bodies, people are at greater risk for heat-related illnesses. Nighttime temperatures are taking the hardest hit from climate change, warming faster than daytime highs. The heat will ramp up considerably Thursday in parts of the Ohio Valley and start to reach into the Northeast. Detroit, Cleveland and Cincinnati could come within a degree of or match their hottest day of the year so far, with expected highs in the 90s. These highs are about 10 degrees hotter than what's typical even in this hottest month of the year. The most intense heat for the East Coast will arrive by Friday, with high temperatures in the middle to upper 90s and a heat index of 100 degrees or more possible for Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston. High temperatures in this range are also up to 10 degrees hotter than typical for these cities. Climate change is making this week's heat wave at least three times more likely for nearly 160 million people, almost half the US population, when compared with a world without fossil fuel emissions, according to an analysis from the climate research nonprofit Climate Central. The heat dome will ease by Saturday for many, replaced by more typical, though still very toasty, late July temperatures. Here's how hot this summer has been so far For many in the contiguous US, it's been sweltering since meteorological summer — June through August — began. The bulk of the heat has been focused on the East, where dozens of locations are so far on track for their hottest summer to date. Many more locales are currently experiencing at least one of their 10-hottest summers to date. The Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley and Midwest have all been literal hotspots. Rather than searing daytime temperatures driving the above-average heat in these locations, it's been many, many instances of too-warm overnight lows making the biggest impact, according to a CNN analysis of data from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. The Plains have so far dodged this really hot summer. Much of the West has too, with a few exceptions: Seattle is having its fifth-warmest summer to date while Portland is hovering around seventh-highest. Tiny pockets of cooler-than-normal summers are few and far between in the US, but the San Francisco Bay Area in California is one of them. Parts of the Bay Area — including Oakland and Fremont — are experiencing one of their coolest summers to date. August will likely be another hot month for much of the country, according to the Climate Prediction Center's latest forecast. Cities that are already baking could continue their hot streak while other places that have escaped the worst could still warm up a bit in the latter part of summer. CNN's Luke Snyder contributed to this report. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
100-degree heat dome to set up shop over southern US
The heart of summer is here and a major pattern change unfolding in the coming days will yield searing heat for millions over the southern United States, centered over the Plains and Mississippi Valley, Accuweather meteorologists advise. The same pattern, caused by a massive area of high pressure, will limit heat and high humidity to a handful of days in the Northeast. Many locations that have avoided 100-degree heat thus far will rack up a string of triple digits in the days ahead. A northward bulge in the jet stream will develop while high pressure builds. This setup-a heat dome-can be very persistent. While the core of the heat dome may meander east-to-west and back in the weeks ahead, it may linger through a good chunk of August. Dallas, which as of July 21 had not hit triple digits, but could do so on any of the days over the next two to three weeks. The pattern will erase the below historical average temperature condition thus far in July (1.2 degrees below average) and is likely to finish the month near to above the historical average. "Kansas City, Missouri, has not hit 100 degrees since Aug. 25, 2023, but is positioned to do so on multiple days during the upcoming heat dome," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill said. The heat will make it difficult for manual labor jobs ranging from construction to agriculture, as well as the start of athletic training camps for the upcoming start of the school year. Caution is advised to take breaks and stay hydrated. It will take a while for the ground to dry out in some areas and, as that moisture is drawn into the air, it will make for very steamy conditions for a time, Merrill said. "Many cities from Nebraska and Missouri to Texas and Louisiana won't get relief at night with low temperatures to range from the mid-70s to the low 80s." "The zone from central Texas into the Ozarks in Arkansas and Missouri still has wet soil from recent rain," Merrill added. "The humidity levels will end up highest in this area, leading to extremely humid conditions this week. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will peak around 110 degrees this week in this zone." With the core of the heat dome centered over the southern Plains, it will be difficult for thunderstorms to occur. "The bottom line is that this has the look of a long-lasting heat wave with limited rainfall," Merrill said. "Drought will expand through the central Plains by mid-August and worsen in Kansas and Nebraska, where there are already pockets of moderate to extreme drought." As the ground dries out, temperatures will trend upward. Multiple days will have highs ranging from the mid-90s to the low 100s. In some areas, actual temperatures could even push 110 F as average soil moisture transitions to abnormally dry to drought conditions. Some tropical moisture can push westward from the Gulf and into parts of central and southern Texas and spill northward from Mexico and into the Deserts, Rockies and High Plains in the form of periodic thunderstorms. Pattern to bring rounds of cooler, less humid air to Northeast As the heat dome builds and meanders over the Southern states, a large southward dip in the jet stream will develop and persist from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast. This pattern will result in frequent fronts that bring extended bouts of cool and less humid air. Heat and humidity will surge ahead of the fronts, but likely only for a day or so here and there. In other words, the relentless sauna bath feel and torrential downpours leading to flash flooding should go away as the pattern evolves. However, there can still be quick-moving severe thunderstorms with brief downpours and strong wind gusts. The pattern will be a guard against tropical storms from making a northward run along the Atlantic coast of the U.S., as any storm that forms would be shunted out to sea or directed westward across the Gulf. A dose of cool air will visit the Northeast early this week. Heat will briefly surge back in later in the week in the Northeast. However, that heat is not expected to be of long duration and will likely be followed by an even more impressive surge of cooler and less humid air for the upcoming weekend. Areas from the central and northern Plains to the Ohio Valley and Southeast will need to be on guard for long-traveling complexes of damaging thunderstorms, known as derechos, in the pattern. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer. Solve the daily Crossword
