A widespread and dangerous heat wave is building across the US, with triple-digit highs expected in the Southwest and Great Plains this weekend before spreading eastward under a dome of high pressure that meteorologists say could trap oppressive temperatures for a week or more.
Heat Wave Expected to Break Records
Forecasters are advising people to stay hydrated and find places to cool off, warning of temperatures 15 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal in many areas, including at night — especially bad for people’s health because their bodies won’t have a chance to recover.
The National Weather Service predicts that more than 90 US local temperature records will be tied or broken through Wednesday — with two-thirds of those being overnight heat records. Temperatures won’t drop below 80 F at night in several cities, including Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Miami; Tampa, Florida; Galveston, Texas; and Charleston, South Carolina.
Climate change from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas is causing more intense and longer-lasting heat waves that cover larger areas, scientists say. This year’s temperatures are also expected to be affected by El Nino, a natural warming of the equatorial Pacific that alters weather patterns and spikes temperatures across the globe.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
