A significant heat wave is set to impact millions of Americans from Texas to Maine this week, with rising temperatures breaking records and posing health risks. The National Weather Service and CDC have issued warnings as the extreme heat is expected to persist in various states.
A significant heat wave is forecast to affect millions of Americans from Texas to Maine starting this week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The rising temperatures will impact the South beginning Sunday, progressing to the Midwest and then to the East Coast by midweek.
In Pittsburgh, a high of 99°F is expected on Wednesday, potentially setting a record for the month of June. As many as 75 daily and monthly temperature records could be broken in the northeastern United States from Tuesday to Thursday, with temperatures exceeding 95°F in several areas.
On Saturday, the NWS reported that 22.6 million people were under extreme heat advisories, watches, or warnings, comparable to the population of Florida. This heat wave follows 12 consecutive months of record-high global temperatures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that extreme heat causes around 1,220 deaths annually, making it the deadliest form of extreme weather.
A new scale called HeatRisk, developed by the NWS and CDC, gauges health risks associated with extreme heat on a scale from 1 to 4. Areas in central Iowa, western Illinois, and Missouri are rated a 4, indicating the highest level of risk. This heat wave may persist into the weekend in parts of the Northeast, with sustained high temperatures and limited nighttime relief exacerbating health risks.
