Heat Wave Strikes the U.S.
A heat wave scorched many parts of the U.S. this past weekend, resulting in temperatures averaging 10 to 15 degrees above normal.
Most areas peaked in the 90’s on Saturday, but temperatures are said to go up into the triple digits soon in states like Montana to New Mexico, according to lead meteorologists for The Weather Channel and The National Weather Service.
By the middle of next week, The National Weather service expects the heat index in the Midwest to hold values over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, leaving states ranging from Texas to Canada under an excessive heat warning.
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Cities like Minneapolis may go up to 117 degrees. “The stage is being set for a massive heat wave to develop,” warned The National Weather Service on Thursday.
“When your body temperature rises on a hot day, as much as two liters of sweat can pour out of sweat glands each hour,” said Weather Channel Senior Meteorologist Jonathan Erdman, describing how hard it is for you to keep your body cool under these conditions.
Experts say the heat wave can last until Friday of next week, and along with the discomfort the high temperatures brought to citizens, farmers also suffered economically, with droughts breaking all time record highs.
Wildfires burned through millions of acres of cropland and forests throughout parts of the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They say that drought conditions stretch from Arizona to the southern Atlantic states.
Following 10 straight days of Monsoon rains, temperatures in Colorado soared up into the triple digits.
Several deaths in Tennessee have been attributed to the recent heat wave, where a large part of the population is rural and poor.
The cause is said to be from lack of air conditioning for some, which led Memphis Light Gas and Water to start an emergency reconnection program on Friday for people that couldn’t pay their bill on time.
The high pressure ridge suppressing storm and cold fronts is expected to move from central United States to the east coast next week bringing the high temperatures along with it.
