"Punishing heat waves are roasting the Pacific Northwest and the central and eastern United States simultaneously, placing more than half of the Lower 48 states under alerts from the National Weather Service. Excessive-heat warnings or heat advisories are in place for nearly 175 million Americans, and some of these alerts will remain in effect until the weekend.
The most intense heat is set to roast the Pacific Northwest, which has already endured several blasts of abnormally high temperatures this summer, including the “unprecedented” event in late June when temperatures in Portland, Ore., soared to 116 degrees and Seattle hit 108, both all-time highs. Portland and Seattle are again under an excessive-heat warning, which covers much of western Oregon and Washington state. It also extends into parts of Northern California, home to the Dixie Fire, the state’s second-largest blaze on record.
In the central and eastern United States, a sprawling area of heat advisories covers the zone from eastern Texas to southeastern Michigan and large parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast along the Interstate 95 corridor and parts of the interior New England. Cities under heat advisories include Little Rock, Chicago, Detroit, Raleigh, N.C., Washington and Boston. Several excessive-heat warnings, for even more extreme conditions, are embedded within these heat advisory zones and include Kansas City, St. Louis, New York City and Philadelphia, where city asphalt and concrete, or urban heat island effect, make temperatures even hotter."
Jason Samenow and Matthew Cappucci report for the Washington Post Augustt 11, 2021.
SEE ALSO:
"Hidden Toll of the Northwest Heat Wave: Hundreds of Extra Deaths" (New York Times)
"The Texas Power Grid Is Hanging on by Its Fingernails" (Earther)
"Pacific Northwest Braces For Another Multiday Heat Wave" (AP)
"34 States Dealing With Heat Advisories As Pacific Northwest Faces New Heatwave" (The Hill)
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