...
By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A widespread heat wave is pushing dangerously high temperatures across large parts of the United States, with the National Weather Service (NWS) warning that “dangerous” conditions are building as heat alerts stretch from the Plains to the Midwest and South.
Maps included with the NWS warning on X on Tuesday show the heat wave building across the U.S., where it is expected to impact more than 20 cities over the next few days.
Extreme heat warnings and advisories issued Tuesday show how expansive the event has already become, with heat index values forecast to climb as high as 110 degrees in parts of Texas and exceed 100 degrees across multiple states, including Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas and Tennessee. The NWS cautioned that such conditions can significantly increase the risk of heat-related illness, particularly during peak afternoon and evening hours, urging people to stay hydrated, limit time outdoors and seek air-conditioned spaces.
Read More on Weather
"A widespread heat wave will build across the central U.S. through midweek before shifting to the East Coast, where it peaks on Friday, then slowly ease over the weekend," the NWS posted on X on Tuesday morning. "An early season heatwave can often be more dangerous and pose a greater risk for heat-related illness. This will be the most significant heat so far this summer for many locations. The most important things you can do in significant heat are to stay hydrated and interrupt your exposure to the heat by taking breaks out of the sun and/or being in cooled locations."
U.S. Heat Wave Maps
Daily high temperature records could be broken in numerous states this week, according to forecasts from the NWS Weather Prediction Center.
"The most unusual heat is really going to be seen across portions of the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes region on Wednesday and by the time we get to Thursday and Friday, the highs across places like Michigan and the East and Northeast ... are going to be anywhere from 10 to maybe as high as 20 degrees above normal," NWS Weather Prediction Center meteorologist Peter Mullinax told Newsweek.
Maps included with the NWS post show the most significant temperatures on Tuesday will be concentrated in the Northern Plains and upper Northeast. North Dakota and South Dakota could surge into the 90s, while Kansas temperatures could top out in the low 100s.
Parts of Maine, New York, Vermont and Massachusetts are expecting temperatures in the mid- to high-80s.
...
On Wednesday, high temperatures will ease slightly across the Northern Plains, while temperatures in the Southern Plains, such as Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, will remain high. Oppressive temperatures in the upper-80s or low-90s will hit Michigan, with Maine and Vermont also expected to remain warm.
Temperatures in California will also begin to rise, with some parts of the Central California seeing mid- to upper-90s, while Southern California temperatures could hit the mid-100s.
...
By Thursday, the hottest temperatures will be felt across California, ranging from upper 60s and 70s on the coast to 100s for areas further inland.
Temperatures will remain high across Michigan, with hotter weather also expected in several East Coast states. Maine will remain warm, with hot temperatures also expected in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, Delaware and Virginia.
Temperatures across the South and Midwest will be in the 90s.
...
By Friday, temperatures across the central U.S. will begin to fall, with several states seeing highs in the low 80s. Meanwhile, temperatures in the West will remain hot, with California again creeping into the 100s, and temperatures in the upper-80s and mid-90s hitting Oregon. Hot temperatures will also persist along the East Coast, with highs in the 90s or 100s stretching from Florida through Connecticut. Further north, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire will see highs in the 80s.
...
Heat Illness Symptoms to Watch Out for
Early signs of heat-related illness can include heavy sweating, fatigue, dizziness and headaches, along with nausea, muscle cramps and excessive thirst. Health officials say these symptoms are typically associated with heat exhaustion, when the body is losing fluids and struggling to cool itself. Skin may feel cool, pale or clammy, and people can also experience weakness or fainting if they remain in hot conditions for too long.
More severe symptoms can signal heat stroke, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. Warning signs include confusion, slurred speech or loss of consciousness, as well as a very high body temperature and hot skin that may be dry or only lightly sweating. Officials stress that anyone showing these symptoms should be treated as an emergency, as the body can no longer regulate its temperature and the condition can quickly become fatal if not addressed.
What Happens Next: Temperature Outlook
Temperatures will be high across several states on Tuesday and remain so at least until Friday, when the central U.S. will get some relief. However, temperatures in the West and Pacific Northwest will continue to climb this weekend and early next week, Mullinax said.
Looking even further ahead, much of the central US and parts of the Upper Midwest will experience below-average temperatures between June 14 and June 18, according to the NWS Climate Prediction Center outlooks.
...
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines