Heat Wave With Record Highs Stretches Across U.S. This Week
Millions of Americans will be confronted this upcoming week with a heat wave with record-high temperatures for the season. According to the National Weather Service, “High temperatures up to 100 degrees along with high humidity will lead to heat indices into the mid-100s.” While these temperatures range from 90s to 100s degrees at the height of the day, they will drop to colds of mid-70s and mid-80s overnight.
The heat wave currently stretches from Minnesota southward to Texas, and from parts of Colorado eastward to Florida. Over the course of the following week, the heat wave is forecasted to travel from the middle of the country towards the south and eastern coasts of the U.S..
Heat warnings and advisories will be in effect for cities experiencing near or above triple-digit temperatures. A number of cities have put in measures to prevent weather-related issues, most commonly related to heat exhaustion. This is following a heat wave that occurred the previous week which affected a similar region of the country. Recently, a number of weather disasters have occurred throughout the U.S. with cases of extreme rainfall and thunderstorms. According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, the C2ES, “Hot days are getting hotter and more frequent.” In addition, as with the case of the current heat wave, high humidity worsens the heat index (the heat index calculates how the temperature is actually experienced for people). The C2E3 explains that the “Annual number of days with a heat index above 100 degrees F will double, and days with a heat index above 105 degrees F will triple, nationwide.”
Issues on health, agriculture, energy, and the economy will all be affected by these shifting weather patterns caused by climate change. If little is done, Americans will have to recognize this new reality.