Next week, the United States will face multiple challenges brought by extreme weather. The central and eastern regions will be hit by dangerous, record-breaking high temperatures; at the same time, the wildfire risk in some parts of the western region is on the rise; and the bathtub-like water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico may fuel the first tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
On Sunday, a massive and unusually strong heat dome will form in the east, expanding over the following days to the Midwest and Great Lakes region, bringing the first major heatwave of the year to these areas. This heat dome will push temperatures to levels even hotter than the hottest typical summer day.
A heat dome is an atmospheric phenomenon that traps air in place and bakes it with ample sunshine for several days, making each day hotter than the previous.
Due to the record-breaking temperatures the heat dome will bring, over 85 million Americans have already received heat advisories or warnings.
On Friday, the eastern half of the U.S. has already felt the arrival of the hot weather, but this is just the beginning.
According to the National Weather Service, a heatwave will rapidly spread from the Northern Plains this weekend, reaching the Great Lakes region by Monday. From Texas to New England, the incoming high temperatures could set records in these regions, putting those who are not prepared for extreme temperatures at risk.
By Thursday, the high temperatures in the entire Ohio River Valley and the northeastern region will reach daily record highs, with heat indices approaching 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6 degrees Celsius). Even at night, there will be no respite as nighttime temperatures in some major metropolitan areas will only drop to around 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius).
By Monday afternoon, temperatures in most of the eastern half of the U.S. will be 15 to 20 degrees above normal, but at times from Tuesday to Friday they may soar to as much as 25 degrees above normal.
To make matters worse, humidity will combine with the extreme heat, pushing the heat index (what the temperature feels like to the human body) in some eastern areas into dangerous triple digits. Next week, Maine could see a heat index of around 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius).
According to data from the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the health risks for millions of Americans will reach extreme levels next week. Heat is the most deadly weather form in the U.S., causing an average number of deaths each year that is more than twice the total deaths from hurricanes and tornadoes combined. A survey conducted in 2022 revealed that each extreme heat day in the U.S. claims around 154 lives.
Aside from the health risks brought by the high temperatures themselves, the heat is contributing to the hurricane season as well. Some recent notable wildfires in the U.S. have also been linked to the high temperatures.
According to information released by the National Interagency Fire Center on June 14, fire activity nationwide is gradually increasing, with large fires reported in six geographic regions. Currently, there are 11 large wildfires that are uncontained and are being aggressively fought with comprehensive suppression strategies, while 8 fires are being addressed with strategies other than full suppression. Over 2,000 wildland firefighters and support personnel have been deployed nationwide to combat the fires.
Since the beginning of this month, the hot and dry weather in the western region will continue to increase the wildfire risk and may exacerbate the fires currently burning.
Later this weekend and into early next week, winds will pick up in the region, leading to rapid fire spread. In Arizona, about 70 miles northwest of Phoenix, a small but destructive fire known as the “Rose Fire” could worsen next week due to light wind conditions.
Signs indicate that the Atlantic hurricane season is slowly stirring, with forecasters monitoring two systems that have the potential to develop into tropical storms.
The system most likely to become the first Atlantic tropical storm of the year could impact the Gulf of Mexico next week, drawing energy from the unusually warm waters in the Gulf.
Forecasters are also keeping an eye on the same system that caused flooding rains in Florida in recent days. This weekend, the system is moving northeastward off the East Coast, with a lower likelihood of developing into a tropical storm.
Starting from Sunday, rain will move into the Gulf Coast from Texas to Alabama and is expected to persist throughout the entire following week.