Heat Wave Scorches US With Record-Breaking Temperatures

LOS ANGELES, CA (IANS) – An intensive heat wave continued to grip much of the United States on the weekend, triggering record-breaking temperatures and placing millions of people under heat alerts.

More than 115 million people across the United States are currently under active National Weather Service (NWS) extreme heat alerts, according to the National Integrated Heat Health Information System.

A heat dome, caused by a high-pressure system trapping hot air near the ground, has settled over the Midwest and Northeast early this week, causing record-breaking temperatures in several cities. Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, has already experienced its hottest days of 2024 so far, with temperatures soaring to 115 degrees.

“This extreme heat has claimed the lives of at least six people, with another 87 deaths under investigation for potential heat-related causes,” said the Maricopa County Public Health Department in the latest heat surveillance report on June 15.

Last year, Maricopa County, experienced a devastating 645 heat-related deaths, a sharp increase from the 425 confirmed deaths for 2022, according to the county’s 2023 heat-related death report.

Much of California is also under heat advisories. These soaring temperatures will affect major cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.

The advisory warns that temperatures are expected to reach up 90 to 100 degrees it. The agency also noted that the temperature in Northern California’s Sacramento Valley could reach 107 degrees. This heat wave exacerbates the already challenging wildfire season in California, where dry and windy conditions have fueled several large fires.

New York City is bracing for potentially the longest stretch of 90-degree days in June on record.

Washington DC is also facing a heat emergency, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.