Staggering map shows where Americans face ‘dangerously hot’ conditions as intense heat wave hits
The National Weather Service warns that large parts of the US will experience “dangerously hot” temperatures of up to 117 degrees Fahrenheit.
The country is expected to experience a severe heatwave from today, raising fears of even more heat-related deaths and illnesses.
The NWS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have produced an alarming map showing the impact of high temperatures across the 48 contiguous states over the coming week.
It shows that large parts of Washington state, southern Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as small areas of Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Texas, are facing an “extreme” heat risk.
The states on the East Coast, Gulf Coast, Northwest and Great Plains face “high” heat risks.
Large parts of the US will face “dangerously hot” temperatures of up to 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius), the National Weather Service has warned.
As the week progresses, the greatest risk for the East Coast will diminish, but the heat is likely to increase in California and Arizona.
The yellow areas on the map indicate a low heat risk, orange is moderate, red is severe and the purple areas indicate an extreme heat risk.
The red and purple areas will move southeast through the week, weakening as they move across Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas before warming up again over Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
“Everyone is at great risk for dangerous heat illness, especially the very young, the very old, people without air conditioning, and people who are active outdoors,” the NWS warned.
The NWS combines weather, climate, and CDC data to determine the severity of heat impact.
The warnings follow dozens of heat-related deaths across the country, including that of four-month-old Tanna Rae Wroblewski.
An intense heatwave is expected to sweep across the country from today, raising fears of even more heat-related deaths and illnesses
As the week progresses, the greatest risk for the East Coast will diminish, but the heat is expected to increase in California and Arizona
The baby is believed to have died of heat exhaustion after her parents took her boating on an Arizona lake during a 120-degree heat warning. Detectives are now investigating the death.
A six-year-old Florida girl also died after “locking her mother’s boyfriend’s sweltering car” while he was at work.
Nine-year-old Cortinez Logan also died while hiking with his family in South Mountain Park and Preserve near Phoenix, where temperatures reached 113 degrees Fahrenheit last month.
“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and stay in touch with family members and neighbors,” the NWS advised.
‘Do not leave young children or pets unattended in vehicles. Car interiors can reach lethal temperatures within minutes.’
Meanwhile, fFirefighters battling California’s largest wildfire of the year are bracing for dangerous conditions over the weekend.
Detectives are investigating the parents of a baby girl who died after taking her boating on an Arizona lake in 120-degree heat
A helicopter drops water on the Park Fire near Butte Meadows, California on Tuesday
The Park Fire, which has destroyed at least 480 structures and damaged 47, is one of nearly 100 major fires raging across the western U.S.
The expected thunderstorms could bring fire-causing lightning bolts and erratic wind gusts, which could disrupt the progress of the past week.
Dry, hot conditions posed a similar danger in the wildfire-ravaged West.