Longest heat wave ‘in decades’ to hit more than 100million Americans with extreme temperatures

Amelia Neath
·3-min read
Longest heat wave ‘in decades’ to hit more than 100million Americans with extreme temperatures

The Midwest and Northeastern US are expected to experience “record-breaking” heat this week as extreme temperatures hit the region.

Much of the Midwest, the Great Lakes, the Northeast, and the Mid-Atlantic will experience the hottest temperatures of the summer so far, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

“The duration of this heat wave is notable and potentially the longest experienced in decades for some locations,” the NWS wrote.

High temperatures across the region, with some areas due to find themselves in daily and monthly record-breaking heat, are possible from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast from Monday to Saturday, with local maximum heat indices approaching 105F degrees.

Extreme heat has been forecast for Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City, Albany and Boston.

Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., are also expected to see major heat over the next few days.

While temperatures will drop into the mid-70s during the night, the heat will offer little to no relief as the weather will still be warm.

The National Weather Service has also warned that rapid onset drought is possible across the eastern Corn Belt and the Mid-Atlantic.

The heat wave will expand from the central Plains, across the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and the Northeast on Monday, and it will remain across the Northeast through midweek.

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh said that the last time they experienced the temperature levels expected in their city over the next week was 30 years ago when it reached 95F or warmer for six days straight in June 1994.

The service said that stands as the longest stretch of 95+F days on record, saying that they now “have a shot at tying or beating that.”

The weather service office in Indianapolis, which is also expecting extreme heat, said that the heat is “potentially dangerous” and has advised people impacted by the scorching temperatures to limit outdoor activities, drink plenty of water, wear lighter clothing and sunscreen, and work outdoors early or very late in the day.

“We know it’s really the first hot weekend of 2024 for us,” National Weather Service senior meteorologist Andy Chiuppi told USA TODAY over the Father’s Day weekend.

“We’re just pushing out all the safety information: people make sure they’re staying hydrated. Even if you’re not going outdoors, make sure you’re drinking enough water and fluids.”

In total, more than 135 million Americans face temperatures above 90 degrees this week, with some areas crossing the 100-degree mark. There is no expected rain under the heat dome to provide temporary relief.

A heat dome is a large area of high pressure that stops over an area, traps air, and blasts it with sunshine for days or weeks. The resulting heat becomes more intense the longer a heat dome lasts, according to the National Weather Service.

While the record-breaking heat will be blasting the Midwest and Northeast, other areas of the country will be battling heavy rain and severe thunderstorms, the National Weather Service says.

The north-central US will experience a cluster of thunderstorms containing severe weather and heavy rain over the next couple of days, that will expand across the northern Plains.

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