A prolonged and widespread heatwave, driven by a strong heat dome, is set to sweep across the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States, affecting half of the American population. This week, many parts of the United States will see record high temperatures and usher in the most severe and longest-lasting heatwave of the year so far, marking the beginning of summer.
The National Weather Service in the United States announced on Monday morning that 72 million people nationwide were under extreme heat warnings. Thursday marks the summer solstice this year, with a week-long heatwave expected to hit the East Coast and Midwest, kicking off the summer of 2024 with scorching temperatures.
With a massive heat dome covering parts of the East Coast this week, hundreds of records may be broken or matched. As temperatures soar to levels typically seen only on the hottest days in July, several records for the highest June temperatures could be shattered.
Cities such as Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, and Albany, New York, have issued extreme heat warnings.
Warnings of moderate heat risks mean prolonged exposure to sunlight could lead to heat-related health issues, while extreme heat risk warnings indicate outdoor activities could result in severe heatstroke, even proving fatal.
On Monday, approximately 150 million Americans will endure temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit; 9 million people will experience temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, triggering heat advisories from Iowa to Maine.
Mathematical models predict that this heatwave could persist until Friday or even longer. The Federal Meteorological Forecast Center stated, “This prolonged heatwave might be the longest some areas have experienced in decades.”
Meteorologists indicate that a high-pressure system known as a high-altitude ridge over the Ohio River Valley is expanding to the Midwest and East Coast, bringing clear skies, warmth, and temperatures in the nineties Fahrenheit, with some areas reaching record-breaking highs.
According to the meteorological department, temperatures in some areas could reach as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The Phoenix Weather Bureau reported a temperature of 112 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, surpassing the average by 7 degrees and nearing the record high of 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Nevada Emergency Management Department cautioned against relying solely on fans to stay cool and advised seeking air-conditioned places like libraries, shopping centers, or cooling centers recently set up in the southwest in the past few weeks.
The National Weather Service reported that around 200 cities, from the Ohio River Valley and downstream from the Great Lakes to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, could set new high-temperature records. The meteorological bureau in Pittsburgh stated that this could be the “most significant heatwave to impact the 21st century.”
Heat indices, measuring the real feel of heat, could reach 100 or 105 degrees Fahrenheit in certain areas, including cities along the East Coast.
By Monday afternoon, temperatures in large parts of the Northeastern United States will be 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, with the remaining week expected to see temperatures 25 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.
Cities such as Montpelier, Vermont, Syracuse, New York, and Pittsburgh have not experienced such high temperatures in about 30 years.
“The last time Pittsburgh saw temperatures like what we expect next week was 30 years ago when temperatures reached or surpassed 95 degrees Fahrenheit for six consecutive days (June 15-20, 1994),” the local meteorological bureau stated on June 15 on X, “This was the longest streak of temperatures exceeding 95 degrees Fahrenheit on record. We have a chance to tie or break this record.”
Buffalo Public Schools announced that four out of five days this week would have half-day classes. Under this arrangement, students from kindergarten to eighth grade can go home after lunch.
Meteorologists suggest that nights may offer some relief, with minimum temperatures in a quarter of the country dropping to 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.