Record Breaking Heat Wave Threatens 130 Million People In US

(Photo : Getty Images/Mario Tama)

About 130 million people are under a high-temperature threat due to a protracted heatwave that has already broken records, ignited dozens of wildfires, and is expected to grow to the point where the National Weather Service has declared it possibly historic.

133 Million Americans

The majority of the nation's almost 133 million residents live in western states, where the triple-digit heatwave, with temperatures 15 to 30 degrees above average, is predicted to persist until next week.

On Saturday, the NWS issued an extreme heat alert or report for nearly 133 million people nationwide.

There's a chance that the US East Coast is likewise bracing for increased heat. With heat index values potentially reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit, forecasters have issued an excessive heat warning for Baltimore and other sections of Maryland.

According to Jacob Asherman, a meteorologist with the NWS, the heat and humidity may combine to cause temperatures to soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas of the Pacific Northwest, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast.

He stated that records might be broken in Oregon in Eugene, Portland, and Salem, among other cities in the Pacific Northwest. Asherman also claimed that dozens of more records might be broken across the United States, forcing millions of people to seek refuge in cooling centers ranging from Norfolk, Virginia, to Bullhead City, Arizona, from the oppressive heat.

Heat And Disasters

Forecasters and fire officials in the western United States issued warnings last week about the increased risk of wildfires due to hot, dry, and windy conditions.

Since it began on Tuesday, the Thompson Fire, which is located in Butte County, California, 105 kilometers (about 65 miles) north of Sacramento, has burned over 1,554 hectares (3,840 acres) of brush and bush.

Firefighters fought the French Fire, which was threatening Mariposa, the entrance to Yosemite National Park, about 362 kilometers (225 miles) south. On Friday, as the winds decreased and the fire extended over 323 hectares (800 acres), firefighters were able to restrict it to 5% of its original extent.

Early next week, Hurricane Beryl's impacts are predicted to bring severe rainfall to Southern Texas, posing a new concern.

Since June, the US Midwest has experienced intense heat, with highs of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Experts blame the excessive humidity and the existence of heat domes in the sky for this heatwave.

In one of the hottest places on Earth, Death Valley, California, a new heat record for the day was set. The temperature hit 127 degrees Fahrenheit, shattering the previous high by 5 degrees Fahrenheit. The previous record, 122 degrees Fahrenheit, was last reached in 2013.

There will be more exceptionally high temperatures predicted in the future, such as 129 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park and 130 degrees Fahrenheit or so until Wednesday.

Though some scientists contest the measurement and claim the true record was 130 degrees Fahrenheit recorded there in July 2021, the highest temperature ever officially recorded on Earth was 134 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley in July 1913.

"Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors," said a National Weather Service advisory.