Brutal heat wave is expected to spread across the south
The oppressive heat wave sweltering the southern United States this week is expected to persist and spread north and east to parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, threatening heat index to dangerously high levels in places, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures are expected to be up to 20 degrees above normal, hitting the upper 90s or low 100s in some parts, with nighttime temperatures offering little respite, and high humidity continuing to produce “potentially life-threatening” heat for the rest of the week, forecasters said. “It’s essential to have ways to cool down and limit your exposure to heat,” says de Weather service warned Tuesday evening on Twitter.
The worst impacts are expected in eastern Texas, along the Central Gulf Coast and through parts of the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys, where the heat index could reach between 110 and 120 degrees in major cities, including Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, New Orleans, Little Rock, Jackson, Memphis, Montgomery and Nashville.
The heat index is a measure of how warm it really feels when humidity and other factors are factored in along with the temperature. When the index exceeds 103 degrees, experts label it as dangerous heat. Such temperatures put you at higher risk for cramps and exhaustion, as well as heat stroke, especially after exercise or long stretches in the sun.
Parts of Northern California — where cool weather and gloomy skies have been prevalent for several weeks — will also begin to get hotter starting Thursday, with much of Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley already under extreme heat warnings, the weather service said. While temperatures in the Southwest are not expected to be above average, dry conditions and low humidity, combined with gusty winds, will increase fire risk across much of Arizona, New Mexico and southwestern Texas.
The excessive heat has already killed three hikers, mistreated workers and caused spikes in ambulance calls and emergency room visits as cities warn residents to stay indoors and drink water. As of Tuesday night, more than 61 million people had warnings or advisories for excessive heat facts of the National Weather Service.
The unusually hot temperatures in early summer are the result of a persistent high-pressure “heat dome” (similar to a lid on a pan trapping steam). Forecasters have warned that relentless heat could continue throughout much of the South all weekend.
The heat will continue into next week, with parts of the Great Lakes, Midwest, Idaho and eastern Washington state expected to be up to 10 degrees above normal, said David Roth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. .
“This may be outside of what you would normally expect in the summer,” Mr Roth said. “Prepare for that.”
John Keefe reporting contributed.