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CBS News
6 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Heat warnings issued for Midwest, Southeast as sweltering temperatures continue
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 were forecast for central Florida, with heat indexes reaching 105 degrees F to 110 degrees F. 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 in some areas on Sunday and heat indexes up to 115 F through Sunday evening. Temperatures on Friday were forecast to be 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year, with feels-like temperatures over 100 degrees expected in multiple areas as a heat dome moved across parts of the U.S. A heat dome happens when hot air is trapped over an area due to a persistent high-pressure system, said William Gallus, a professor of atmospheric science at Iowa State University. During extreme heat and high humidity events, heat-related illnesses increase significantly. "Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors," the National 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 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 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 of rain in some areas and triggered flash flood warnings.
CBS News
24-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Maps show U.S. heat advisories, high temperatures as heat dome moves east
The extreme heat that has baked much of the central United States this week is slowly shifting east ahead of the weekend, forecasters said. More than 130 million Americans across at least 20 states are under heat alerts on Thursday. Parts of the Midwest, including the Corn Belt, have felt the high temperatures for multiple days. Temperatures on Thursday are forecast to be 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year with feels-like temperatures over 100 degrees expected in multiple areas. Some parts of the Mississippi Valley will continue to see high temperatures over 90 degrees for a few more days, even as the heat dome moves over parts of the Northeast. A heat dome happens when hot air is trapped over an area due to a persistent high pressure system, William Gallus, a professor of atmospheric science at Iowa State University, said. Heat domes can last for days to weeks and can stretch over multiple states. With extreme heat in the Corn Belt, a region including parts of the Plains and Central Mississippi Valley, a phenomenon known as corn sweat has made the humidity worse, experts said. "There are pores on the bottom side of the leaves," Iowa state climatologist Justin Glisan told CBS News national correspondent Lana Zak. "And that's where oxygen is released, but also water vapor." The process can add up to 10 degrees to the feels-like temperature, Glisan said, because just 1 acre of corn can release as much as 4,000 gallons of water into the air per day. Iowa has around 13 million acres of corn.
USA Today
24-07-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
See how the heat dome puts a lid on excessive temperatures in the Central and Southern US
The summer heat just got turned up a notch - and trapped under a lid. Around 100 million people will be living with 100 degree days according to AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures. The cause? A massive, late-July heat dome that will move back and forth across much of the United States through the end of the month. The National Weather Service said the remainder of the week features a "strengthening heat dome over the Mississippi Valley today that gradually builds east towards the East Coast by week's end." A combination of mid-upper 90s temperatures and humid conditions are a recipe for "oppressive heat indices that range between 110-115 degrees for many areas along and east of the Mississippi River", the service added in a July 23 report. Where the excessive heat is going According to AccuWeather, temperatures will rise to 100 degrees almost every day for the next week or two in many locations. Prior to this week, several of these locations had not yet surpassed 100 degrees this year. "The bottom line is that this has the look of a long-lasting heat wave with limited rainfall," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill said in a recent press release. "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." Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. What causes a heat dome? A heat dome occurs when a persistent region of high pressure traps heat over an area, according to William Gallus, professor of in meteorology with the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University. "The heat dome can stretch over several states and linger for days to weeks, leaving the people, crops and animals below to suffer through stagnant, hot air that can feel like an oven," Gallus said in an article in The Conversation. Tips on keeping cool What else can you do? CONTRIBUTING John Bacon and Shawn Sullivan/USA TODAY SOURCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Emergency Management Agency, AccuWeather and
USA Today
18-05-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
2025 may be second-warmest year on Earth, just behind 2024
2025 may be second-warmest year on Earth, just behind 2024 Summer temperatures arrived earlier this year, affecting millions of people in Central and Southern states. According to CarbonBrief, a website dedicated to climate science, the contiguous 48 states experienced one of the hottest springs on record. In 131 years of records, March and April ranked as the fifth hottest two-month period, according to Yale Climate Connections. The National Weather Service said more high heat and humidity are in store for the next few days. Second-warmest start to a year National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data shows 2025 already has a 39% chance of being the second-warmest year on record, behind 2024, and a 3% chance of being the warmest year on record. There is a greater than 99% likelihood that 2025 will be one of the five warmest years on record, NOAA said. The chart below shows that the first three months of 2025, as a whole, were the second-warmest Q1 recorded. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. More: Minnesota wildfires fueled by 'near critical' heat destroy buildings, force evacuations April was Earth's second-warmest on record According to a research released by the European Copernicus Climate Change Service, the global average temperature for April 2025 was 1.08 degrees Fahrenheit above average – 0.13 degrees warmer than previous record set in April 2024. Wildfires burn thousands of acres in Minnesota amid dangerous heat As temperatures soared above historical averages, conditions were ripe for wildfires to spread in Minnesota. Intense heat expected to persist Now and in the coming days, a heat dome will keep temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above average, well into the upper 90s and triple-digits. The National Weather Service issued heat advisories for areas in Texas that stretch from the Texas Hill Country and the Rio Grande to the state's east coast. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises residents in areas with excessive heat to wear light clothing, drink lots of water, use their air conditioning and avoid from exerting themselves outside in order to prevent heat exhaustion or heat stroke. What is a heat dome? A heat dome occurs when a persistent region of high pressure traps heat over an area, according to William Gallus, professor of atmospheric science at Iowa State University. "The heat dome can stretch over several states and linger for days to weeks, leaving the people, crops and animals below to suffer through stagnant, hot air that can feel like an oven," Gallus said in an article in The Conversation. . SOURCE CarbonBrief, European Copernicus Climate Change Service, National Weather Service, NOAA, Reuters
