A heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) is in effect for Pennsylvania, New York, and their surrounding states this week. Temperatures are expected to spike by up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit across the northeastern United States in the coming days, as the 2024 North American summer season kicks off starting Thursday, June 20. Other parts of the country are subject to the looming summer heat.
The heat advisory was issued for the Northeast US after the weather service also sent several excessive heat warnings and heat wave alerts for the Western US earlier in June 2024. In the coming months until August, US meteorologists are expecting temperature spikes, accompanied by dry and humid conditions, nationwide. This is based on a recent forecast of an above-average summer season this year.
Moderate to severe hot weather comes in many forms, but the risks remain the same. In previous years, heat dome events associated with the summer season across the northern hemisphere have caused heat-related illnesses and deaths. It is for this reason that health authorities warn against prolonged outdoor exposure and provide safety tips to survive the scorching temperatures of summer.
NWS Heat Advisory
(Photo : Photo by Sardar Faizan on Unsplash)
In its recent heat advisory on Wednesday, June 19, the NWS announced that some states across the Eastern US are likely to experience high temperatures with heat index values reaching up to 100. Due to the threat posed by the adverse weather, the weather agency warned against the occurrence of heat illnesses caused by hot temperatures and high humidity.
The NWS heat advisory mentions the following areas and states in the eastern half of the US affected by relatively high heat index values:
- Central Pennsylvania
- Southeast Pennsylvania
- Western New York
- Northern panhandle of West Virginia
- Northern Delaware
- Northern New Jersey
- Northwest, northeast, and north central Ohio
The projected heat index values vary for each state, but the heat advisory advises the public to take the following precautionary measures and preparedness actions:
- Increase fluid intake
- Stay out of the Sun
- Stay in an air-conditioned room
- Pets and young children should not be left in vehicles
- Wear thinner or lightweight clothing
Heat-Related Illnesses and Deaths
In recent years, the summer season across the northern hemisphere, including the US, Europe, and China, has been associated with dangerous heatwaves. In previous related events, local authorities have reported the deaths of hundreds or thousands of people in a single summer season, caused by heat-related illnesses.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, heat-related illnesses have three types or symptoms: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. This happens when an individual is exposed to abnormal or prolonged amounts of heat and humidity. These illnesses especially manifest when there is an absence of adequate fluid intake.
Between 2000 and 2019, approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths have occurred each year worldwide, based on studies, as cited by the World Health Organization.
Related Article: Dangerous Early-Summer Heat Wave Grips Western US, Millions Brace for Scorching Temperatures