Dangerous Heat Wave Threatens Over 30 Million Across Southeast
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued extensive heat advisories and extreme heat warnings across the Southeast, affecting over 30 million people from central Florida to Virginia through the coming week.
Major metropolitan areas including Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina, Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Atlanta face extreme heat risk for several days with minimal overnight relief.
Why It Matters
This heat wave represents dangerous conditions even by Southeast standards where summer heat is routine.
The extended duration and geographic scope create significant public health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations including the elderly, children, and those without adequate air conditioning. The lack of overnight cooling compounds the danger, preventing bodies from recovering from daytime heat stress.
Understanding the difference between heat advisories and warnings is crucial for public safety. Heat advisories signal increased risk of heat-related illness if precautions aren't taken, while extreme heat warnings indicate dangerously high temperatures that create life-threatening conditions requiring immediate protective action.
Widespread heat indices over 100 degrees are expected in north and central Georgia today. Practice good heat safety everyone. #gawx pic.twitter.com/7yrm2AeisP — NWS Atlanta (@NWSAtlanta) July 26, 2025
What To Know
The NWS forecasts temperatures approaching or exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas, with heat indexes reaching up to 115 degrees through Sunday evening. Central Florida expects highs in the upper 90s, with heat indexes between 105 to 110, while eastern North Carolina faces the most severe conditions under extreme heat warnings.
The heat wave extends beyond the Southeast, with extreme heat watches issued for eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, and southern Minnesota. St. Louis faces particularly challenging conditions with highs around 99 and heat indexes near 110 forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
Cities across affected regions have opened cooling centers for residents without air conditioning, with officials encouraging people to stay indoors and avoid outdoor activities during peak heat hours. The exact temperature thresholds that trigger heat advisories vary geographically, but all current warnings indicate conditions that push the human body beyond normal heat tolerance limits.
Parts of Iowa experienced additional complications Saturday morning with storms dumping 2-5 inches of rain and triggering flash flood warnings, creating a complex weather emergency across multiple states.
A person walks through a machine that mists to cool off after taking a break from running on a hot day, July 25 in Cincinnati.
A person walks through a machine that mists to cool off after taking a break from running on a hot day, July 25 in Cincinnati.
AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel
What People Are Saying
The NWS wrote in its advisory: "Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors."
It added: "Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Stay cool, stay hydrated, stay informed."
NWS Atlanta on X, formerly Twitter, gave this warning on Saturday: "Widespread heat indices over 100 degrees are expected in north and central Georgia today. Practice good heat safety everyone."
The National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) says groups most at risk to heat include, but are not limited to: "Children, older adults, people experiencing homelessness, people with pre-existing conditions, people with disabilities, indoor and outdoor workers, emergency responders, incarcerated people, low-income communities, pregnant women, athletes, and more."
The Weather Channel said this week: "A heat advisory means 'be careful and take action;'" a heat warning means 'this is dangerous, take action now.'"
What Happens Next?
The heat wave is expected to peak through midweek, with forecasters monitoring for potential shifts in weather patterns that might provide earlier relief. Power companies are preparing for increased demand on electrical grids, with some utilities implementing conservation measures to prevent outages during peak cooling periods.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
19 minutes ago
- Forbes
Tampa Hits 100 Degrees For The First Time In Recorded History
Aerial drone View of sprawling Tampa Bay Skyline, Florida. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of ... More America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) On Sunday July 27, 2025, Tampa, Florida reached the 100 degree F mark for the first time in recorded history. I am sure this comes as a surprise to many readers who have spent any time in central Florida. Certainly, some of you are saying, 'How can this be? It is hot in Florida in July.' Let's dig a bit deeper into this stunning piece of weather and climate history. Tampa, Florida hit the 100 deg F mark for the first time in recorded history on July 27, 2025. At 3:30 pm Sunday, the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay wrote, 'Tampa broke the all-time high temperature record today 100 degrees F!…. The old record was 99 degrees F last set on June 26, 2020.' Temperature records have been taken since 1890 in that location. I emphasize that because it is likely you will see a few headlines that say, 'For the first time ever.' The NWS Tampa office is located in Ruskin, Florida. It would not surprise me if temperatures were even hotter in the highly urbanized parts of the region. Temperatures expected in central Florida this week. Central Florida always feels hot in July, and it is. But it has never, hit an official air temperature recorded in triple digits. The average high temperature at this time of year is in the low nineties. Temperatures in the region rarely exceed 95 degrees F, but the humidity can certainly elevate the 'feels like' apparent temperature or heat index above 100 degrees F. Now imagine 100-degree air temperatures and the humidity. Though not the focus here, studies continue to confirm that as climate warms, the intensity and frequency of heat waves is changing too. This presents challenges for people using old heat benchmarks like their childhood as a reference point. This is not your grandmother's heat. Temperatures through the middle of the week will remain oppressive in Florida, and I would not be surprised if a few more records fall. Why is it so hot? A dominant high-pressure system is bringing historically-hot conditions to the entire southeastern U.S, and it will persist into the first part of the week. Many media outlets have fallen in love with the term 'heat dome,' but as a meteorologist, I prefer to explain it in terms of meteorology and physics. Weather map on July 27 depicts high pressure over the U.S. South. If you see that terminology, it is referring to an extensive area of high pressure and warm temperatures. The dome of high pressure is often associated with sinking air that contributes to hot, dry conditions. The sinking air warms through something called adiabatic compression. In the absence of rising motion, rainfall-producing clouds are limited under these conditions. A heat dome. Tampa Bay is strongly influenced by its proximity to water. The Gulf has several influences on local weather and climate. It is a source of moisture that contributes to very humid conditions. It creates microclimates like the sea breeze circulation. Because the land warms up faster during the day, a sea breeze moves in from the water. The sea breeze often produces clouds and rainstorms. At night, the breeze system can reverse as land cools faster than the water. Such circulations happen because water has a larger heat capacity than the land. It's the same reason sand is hot on a May beach day, but the water is still cool. Locations closer to the coast also have smaller temperature ranges. Clouds along the sea breeze front near Tampa, Florida.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Heat advisory in effect for NYC, Long Island, NJ: How hot it might feel
NEW YORK (PIX11) — The next few days are shaping up to be some of the hottest of the summer, prompting a heat advisory from the National Weather Service. The heat advisory is in effect for multiple counties in New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey, starting at 8 a.m. on Monday and concluding at 11 p.m. on Tuesday. More Local News All five boroughs in the city are expected to have feels-like temperatures in the upper-90s on Monday and over 100 degrees on Tuesday. Nassau and Suffolk County will feel similar as well, according to NWS. Northern New Jersey feels like temperatures may reach over 100 degrees on Monday and Tuesday, the NWS alerts said. To beat the heat, use air conditioning when possible, avoid being outside for too long, or stay away from strenuous work. In New York City, cooling centers will be available for use on both Monday and Tuesday. To find a cooling center near you, click here or call 311. Spencer Gustafson is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered New York state and city news since 2023. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Sunday afternoon Chicago storms prompt ground stop at O'Hare International Airport
Another day of storms has prompted a ground stop at O'Hare International Airport. There was no rain falling in downtown Chicago as of 4:30 p.m., and Midway International Airport was not affected. But the Federal Aviation Administration said there was a ground stop due at O'Hare due to thunderstorms. The National Weather Service said isolated and scattered storms would develop through the afternoon, with the relatively highest coverage in the Chicago area along the lake breeze. Downpours, lightning strikes, and gusty winds are among the risks.
