New York, New York – More than 135 million people are facing heat alerts across the Lower 48 on Wednesday, with major cities on both coasts feeling the brunt of the scorching temperatures. This relentless heatwave follows a record-setting start to July, during which hundreds of heat records were shattered.
In the West, cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Jose, Spokane, and Boise are under excessive-heat warnings. Meanwhile, the East Coast is also feeling the heat, with advisories and warnings stretching from South Carolina to Massachusetts, impacting major cities like Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston. Heat indexes are expected to soar between 105 to 110 along the busy Interstate 95 corridor.
Forecasters predict that massive portions of the Lower 48 will experience “major” to “extreme” HeatRisk levels, with the Desert Southwest facing the highest risk levels. Las Vegas, in particular, saw its highest temperature on record this past Sunday, reaching a scorching 120 degrees.
As the heatwave persists, the western United States is expected to endure even more extreme temperatures throughout the week. Record-setting heat is projected for areas in Washington state, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, and Arizona. Las Vegas is forecasted to hit 119 degrees on both Wednesday and Thursday, potentially setting new all-time highs.
In the East, a cool front will bring some relief from the heat on Thursday and Friday. However, residents should brace themselves for rising temperatures over the weekend and into the next week. This prolonged heatwave has led to hundreds of heat records being broken across the country, with locations in the West seeing multiple calendar-day record highs in just the first nine days of July.
Scientific studies have linked the intensifying heatwaves to human-caused climate change, with rising temperatures becoming more frequent and intense. As the planet experiences a streak of record warm months, the United States is on track to have its second-warmest year on record. The impact of climate change on extreme weather events like heatwaves is becoming increasingly evident, with temperatures soaring to unprecedented levels across the country.