Heat Dome Breaks Records Across Midwest, Moves South

Updated August 25, 2023, 3:50 p.m. PST

• A brutal heat dome is bringing triple-digit temperatures to residents across the country. Yesterday, 143 million people were under extreme heat alerts, and high temperatures are expected to continue into the weekend.
• In the U.S., over 100 daily heat records were set or tied this week. In some parts of the Midwest, the heat dome set records dating back to 1950.
• The heat dome will move southward beginning today, offering some relief to the Midwest but bringing high temperatures to states like Texas. New Orleans is forecast to see highs in the low-100's F on Sunday.
• The National Weather Service said:

"This heat wave will pose a greater health risk than usual, and be potentially deadly, due to multiple consecutive days of extreme heat, the intensity of the heat, and lack of overnight cooling associated with record warm overnight lows."

Updated July 24, 2023, 12:40 p.m. PST

• The heatwave that has been baking the Southwest is expanding eastwards and into the Midwest, and 56 million Americans are under extreme heat advisories today.
• The heat dome responsible for the temperatures will lead to record highs across the entire continental United States over the next two weeks.
• Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicates that the U.S. has set or tied more than 13,000 high-temperature records this year alone. July is expected to be the hottest month ever recorded on earth. 
• Phoenix, Arizona, has had a record-breaking streak of 24 days at 110 F, and four people have died in national parks in the Southwest.
• Ocean temperatures off the coast of Florida could reach unprecedented highs.
• BBC's Simon King said:

"Through this week, the heat dome will expand, bringing hotter weather and above average temperatures to pretty much the whole of continental U.S."

• Meteorologist Lauren Casey said, “heat is the number-one weather killer in the U.S."
• Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee said:

Updated, July 18, 2023, 11:40 a.m. PST

• Phoenix, Arizona, has seen daily highs of 110 F for more than 18 consecutive days, with evening lows of 90 F. The city is expected to break a new record of 19 consecutive days at or hotter than 110 F today.
• In the city of 1.6 million people, there is only one cooling center open all night, leaving vulnerable residents exposed to dangerously high temperatures without reprieve. Half of last year's 425 heat fatalities were unhoused individuals.
• According to the 2018 National Climate Assessment, nights are heating up faster than days, particularly in cities where concrete absorbs heat and emits it overnight.
• Several politicians and activists have been calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide more robust funding and relief.
• Kate Gallego, the mayor of Phoenix, said:

“It’s time that the federal government had a new tool to address heat. Our entire planet is experiencing climate change, and we need to adapt to that fact. If the federal government created a one-stop location for heat, they could save so many lives.”

What's the story?

• An unprecedented heat wave has pushed temperatures to 120 degrees Fahrenheit in northern Mexico and the southeastern U.S. 
• Over 112 people have died due to the extreme heat in Mexico alone. Extreme temperatures have killed at least 14 people in Texas, Louisiana, and the southeastern states. 
• The temperatures are expected to persist and possibly increase in the coming week. Authorities issued a warning of another heat wave for the first week of July.

The international picture

• A joint study by the Red Cross and the U.N. found that 70,000 people died in 38 heatwaves between 2010 and 2019. 
• The U.N. has warned that 2023 to 2027 will be the warmest on record, with climate change and an El Niño weather system contributing to the rise.

Heat in Mexico

• In Mexico, the victims were mostly over 65 years of age — the demographic most at risk from extreme heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heatstroke. The victims included 89 men and 23 women.
• Half of the deaths occurred in the state of Nuevo Leon, which borders Texas.
• Over 1,500 people were hospitalized due to the heat wave, and stores in Mexico City reportedly ran out of fans. 
• The overall number of heat-related deaths in 2022 was 42, indicating the scope of this year's high temperatures.

Heat in the U.S.

• In the last week of June, Texas was one of the hottest places on earth, with temperatures rivaling the Sahara and Death Valley. The heat wave led to power failures and outages from the overtaxed electrical grid in Texas.
• The U.S. National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings in Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee, with temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit hitting the region. 
• Lower-income households who cannot afford air conditioning and manual laborers who work outdoors are at particular risk of heat stroke.

Are you worried about the impacts of climate change?

—Emma Kansiz