Heatwave grips 14 US states, breaking records in the West. Medical experts warn of dire consequences and urge the public to take heat warnings seriously.
As heat tightens its grip on the nation, 14 states spanning from Arizona to Texas to Florida are now facing life-threatening conditions. Unprecedented temperatures are ravaging the West, where all-time records are anticipated to break this weekend. Phoenix, already enduring 14 consecutive days of blistering heat above 110 degrees, is poised to reach 119 degrees. The heatwave’s impact extends further, as Las Vegas braces for its all-time high temperature of 117 degrees on Sunday.
In the West, Death Valley, California, stands on the precipice of history. With forecasts predicting 130 degrees, it inches close to its long-standing record of 134 degrees, established back in 1913.
Meanwhile, the Southeast is also facing its own heatwave situation. With the heat index set to go up, cities like Dallas, San Antonio, and New Orleans are bracing for temperatures like 108 degrees. Jackson, Mississippi, prepares for 110 degrees, while Charleston, South Carolina, anticipates 105 degrees. In Miami, the heat index has surpassed 100 degrees for 33 consecutive days, recording 102 degrees on Friday.
Medical professionals are urging the public to take excessive heat warnings seriously, highlighting the dire consequences that can arise. According to CDC WONDER, an online database, there are already hundreds of heat-related deaths each year in the United States, and experts caution that the true number is likely higher.