Millions swelter under dangerous Fourth of July heat wave
About 134 million people in the U.S. are on alert as an “extremely dangerous and record-breaking” heat wave ravages much of the country, according to the National Weather Service.
According to Bob Oravec, chief forecaster with the National Weather Service, areas where temperatures could exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit or well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit include most of the West Coast, the southern Plains, most of the Lower Mississippi Valley down to the Ohio Valley and parts of Florida.
The mercury in the Pacific Northwest will rise later in the weekend. Arizona will continue to sizzle as firefighters battle a wildfire near Phoenixwhere some fight with burns from red-hot asphalt, concrete or other surfaces. And wetter regions will face a sultry weekend.
“If it’s both humid and hot, you can’t really rely on sweat to cool you down to a safe level,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles.
It is a dangerous weather pattern that strikes when fires rage in northern Californiaand just in time for a holiday weekend. When people are partying, “it’s easy to get distracted,” stay out longer and forget to drink enough water, says Chris Stachelski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “And then all of a sudden you’re at higher risk.”
Human-caused climate change is causing heat waves to become longer and more intense. More research is needed to directly link an individual event like this to climate change, but given the overall trajectory, Swain wasn’t surprised by this weekend’s forecast. Still, “the pace of record-breaking heat extremes and precipitation extremes is getting a little overwhelming,” he said.
The expected duration, breadth and high nighttime temperatures of this heat wave increase the risks to people’s health. “I think this heat wave could be more severe, more dangerous and more record-breaking in many cases than the heat waves that are causing those slightly higher temperatures,” Swain said.
Stachelski added that even after the highest temperatures have passed, heat can still be dangerous, especially for the most vulnerable: young, old and those without access to air conditioning.
Experts advise people to drink plenty of water and use air conditioning. Big Sur State Parks used Sabrina Carpenter lyrics to urge hikers to “please, please, please” avoid caffeine and alcohol, wear sunscreen, and know the trails ahead of time.
The continued high temperatures plaguing the West Coast will also dry out vegetation and make the remaining months of the fire season even more intense, Swain said.
“Heat is an underestimated killer,” Swain said, referring to both short-term heat waves like this one and broader global warming trends. “It’s one that we’ve underestimated for a long time. And I think we continue to do so at our peril.”
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