In recent days, most parts of the United States are facing record-breaking high temperatures, leading to strained electricity supply, interruptions in railway transportation, and millions of people enduring the scorching heat. Authorities issued a high-temperature warning last weekend, predicting it to continue until this coming weekend. People across the country are finding ways to cool off and beat the heat in various ways.
The National Weather Service (NWS) reported that as of Monday (June 23), over 86 million people in the Northeast, Midwest, and Great Lakes region of the United States are under high temperature alerts. This heatwave is expected to persist for a week, with temperatures in many areas forecasted to exceed 43 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit). Nighttime temperatures remain high as well, with some cities seeing temperatures between 21 and 27 degrees Celsius, making it difficult to find relief even at night.
Meteorologists predict that the temperature in New York City on Tuesday (24th) will reach 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), potentially breaking the record for the highest temperature on the same day set over a century ago in 1888 at 96 degrees Fahrenheit. Washington D.C. is also expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius on the same day, while Philadelphia and Boston are anticipating three consecutive days of temperatures above 37 degrees Celsius.
Meteorologists explain that the extreme heat is caused by an atmospheric phenomenon known as a “heat dome,” where a high-pressure system in the upper atmosphere remains stationary for a period of time. The high-pressure system acts like a lid, trapping hot air under it in the region where the heatwave occurs and preventing cold air from entering, causing temperatures under the dome to rise continuously and leading to a severe heatwave event.