Latest news with #HeatRisk
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Heat wave to scorch the U.S. this week — and some cities will experience 'feels like' heat index of 115°F
More than 130 million people from South Dakota to Florida are under extreme warnings and advisories. A dangerous heat wave continues to scorch a large part of the United States, with more than 130 million people under extreme heat watches and warnings from South Dakota to Florida as temperatures in some cities are expected to exceed 100 degrees, and heat indexes — or 'feels like' temperatures — could soar past 115°F. The so-called heat dome that baked much of the Midwest last week has now settled over the Southeast, where intense and potentially life-threatening heat and humidity are expected to continue through at least Wednesday. How hot will it feel, exactly? From Charlotte, N.C., to Orlando, heat indexes, or what the temperatures feel like when humidity is factored in, are forecast to be between 108° and 116°F for multiple days. And temperatures at night won't provide much relief. Overnight lows are expected to fall only into the 70s across the region. According to the National Weather Service's HeatRisk monitor, more than 18 million people across five states — North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida — were under the highest risk level (four out of four) for extreme heat on Monday. More than 130 million people — from the Midwest to the Northeast — were considered in the 'major' (three out of four) risk level. Such levels are 'dangerous for anyone without adequate cooling or hydration,' the weather service warned, noting that the risk of heat-related illnesses increases significantly with prolonged exposure to extreme heat and humidity. What you can do to protect yourself 'Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,' NWS advised. '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.' When will the heat wave break? There is, however, some relief on the way. According to the long-range forecast from the weather service, a strong cold front is expected to usher in cooler temperatures across much of the eastern U.S. by next weekend, with highs 10-20 degrees below what they were earlier in the week, and much lower humidity. Wildfire risk out West Meanwhile in the Western U.S., there is an increasing risk of wildfires, as high winds and extremely low humidity are forecast for portions of Colorado and Utah, where red flag warnings have been issued. According to the NWS in Salt Lake City, the relative humidity is expected to be as low as 8% on Monday, with wind gusts above 30 mph. In addition, a series of storms with lightning but little to no rain could increase wildfire activity. 'Lightning strikes from thunderstorms could spark fires,' Accuweather warned. 'In storms that bring little to no rain, there is no moisture to put out the emerging fires. Gusty winds that accompany the thunderstorm in the immediate vicinity then fan the flames and cause the fire to quickly spread.' Solve the daily Crossword
Hindustan Times
24-07-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Heat advisory issued for 11 US states: Record-high minimum, overnight temperatures this week
A relentless heat dome has settled over the central United States, resulting in heat advisories and excessive heat warnings across 11 states. The National Weather Service (NWS) estimated that over 99 million people are affected by dangerously high temperatures stretching from the Upper Midwest to the Gulf Coast. Eleven states under heat advisory as dangerous heatwave sweeps across the United States According to a USA Today report, temperature highs across the region are soaring well into the 90s and beyond. The heat index values are reaching 110 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas, including St Louis, Little Rock, and Chicago. The heat index, which accounts for humidity, makes temperatures feel significantly hotter and increases the risk of heat-related illnesses. Where is the heat most severe? Another Newsweek report stated that the states under heat advisories or excessive heat warnings are: Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. In these areas, the overnight temperatures remain in the upper 70s or low 80s. This makes recovery from daytime heat nearly impossible, especially for those without air conditioning. Also Read: Extreme heatwave sweeps across US: What to wear, drink and more tips to stay safe Night offers no relief either AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva, according to Newsweek report, said that record-high minimum temperatures, the highest overnight lows ever recorded, are expected across multiple states. The humidity and urban infrastructure mean night time temperatures would not be falling below 80°F. This will significantly compound health risks. DaSilva warned that this kind of heat could be deadly and added that vulnerable populations like the elderly, children, and those without access to cooling are especially at risk. Why it matters? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NWS use a tool called HeatRisk to monitor health threats from extreme heat. According to a Yahoo report, parts of the Midwest and the Deep South have reached Level 3 and Level 4 alerts. Hospitals are already seeing increased ER visits due to heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heatstroke. Also Read: What is corn sweat? Heat wave in Midwest to feel worse this week, here's why What's next? The USA Today report added that the heat dome is not expected to break soon, and the Northeast will begin to feel the impact by July 25 with heat indices exceeding 100°F. It stated that experts have warned this is part of a larger trend of extreme weather conditions and urged people to take precautions, stay indoors and look after vulnerable community members. FAQs Q: What temperature is a heat advisory? A: A heat advisory is typically issued when the heat index is forecast to be 100°F–104°F for at least two consecutive days. Q: What heat is unsafe to be in? A: Heat becomes dangerous when the heat index rises above 90°F, especially with high humidity or when sustained for hours. Q: Can I run during a heat advisory? A: It's not recommended. Exercise during cooler hours (early morning) and stay hydrated. Avoid exertion when the heat index exceeds 100°F. Q: How much worse will the heat get by 2050? A: Climate scientists project a significant increase in the number of extreme heat days by 2050 due to global warming, particularly in urban areas. Q: Is it okay to go to the pool during a heat advisory? A: If the pool is accessible and not overcrowded, it can offer relief but limit sun exposure, stay hydrated, and avoid midday hours.
CNET
23-07-2025
- Climate
- CNET
A Sweltering Heat Dome Is Pummeling the Middle of the US. Here's What That Means
You've probably heard of the heat index, and you might be aware of the National Weather Service's HeatRisk tool, but do you know what a heat dome is? If not, it's the perfect time to learn -- nearly a third of the US is about to be exposed to temperatures above 100 degrees because of one. The NWS has issued a bulletin warning that 100-degree temperatures will likely hit residents in the middle of the US today. The cause for that thermometer spike is a growing heat dome in the Mississippi Valley that should expand to the northeast by the end of the week, potentially affecting more than 100 million people, per Accuweather. If "heat dome" is a new term for you, keep reading and I'll break down what it means and what causes it. For more help this summer, check out CNET's top 10 hacks for keeping your home cool in the summer or learn how to recognize the early signs of heatstroke. What is a heat dome? Think of a heat dome as similar to putting a lid on a pot or a frying pan while cooking something, Alex Lamers of the National Weather Service told NPR. A heat dome is what happens when a high-pressure system lingers, causing hot air to become trapped under it, resulting in prolonged temperature spikes. Just like how putting a lid on a pot or pan traps the heat and cooks the food faster. Except in this case, the food is you and me. This is made worse by the fact that high pressure systems are known to cause dry weather, which can also contribute to hotter temperatures. According to the heat map provided on the National Integrated Heat Health Information System's official website, heat risks are elevated for most of the country between the Midwest and Lower Mississippi Valley regions and the East Coast, with eastern North Carolina, central Virginia, the Pittsburgh area, southeast Pennsylvania, southeast Maryland, most of New Jersey and almost all of Delaware being under extreme heat warnings. In the hardest-hit areas, temperatures may go as high as 115 degrees, while others will hover between 95 and 100 degrees. All around, it's the kind of weather than can make the prospect of a power outage a life-or-death scenario. How long do heat domes last? I wish I had better news for you. Heat domes are known to last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how long it takes for the high pressure system in a given region to move on or dissipate. There's no indication how long the current heat dome will last. Accuweather reports that it could even spread to the western US in early August. Does climate change make heat domes worse? Oh, absolutely. Speaking to Time Magazine for a report on the current heat wave, Bill Gallus, a professor of meteorology at Iowa State University, said that cause-and-effect question was "one of the easier (questions) to answer." Heat domes, he explained, are one of the more likely consequences of worsening climate change, even more so than other related weather events, such as increased tornadoes and stronger hurricanes. "There's so many things that are complicated and we can't say for sure what climate change is going to do, such as how many hurricanes or tornadoes we get," Gallus said. "But it is likely that we will have more heat domes and probably hotter temperatures in the heat domes." How to avoid heat domes As you might guess from these explanations so far, there's not much to do about a heat dome except get away from it. This might entail staying inside where it's cool or traveling to another place that isn't suffering under a high-pressure system. Maybe head out to the west coast, where my other CNET colleagues -- whom I am not jealous of and never have been, promise -- insist the weather is positively temperate. Hope you're all having fun out there, guys. Or hey, maybe try the old summertime standby and go see a movie in a nice air-conditioned theater. CNET's Aaron Pruner calls Superman a "punk rock delight," and that new F1 movie looks pretty neat too For more weather tips, check out CNET's guide to saving power during summer heat waves.
CNET
23-07-2025
- Climate
- CNET
This Free Heat Warning System Could Help You Prepare for Dangerous Summer Conditions
A massive heat dome is gripping much of the US again this week, with the Midwest facing a brutal combination of scorching temperatures and stifling humidity due in part to so-called "corn sweat," or the extra moisture crops release into the air. This added humidity is pushing heat indexes well above 100 degrees across parts of the Corn Belt and beyond, compounding the risks for millions under excessive heat warnings and advisories. The extreme heat bearing down across the US this summer can have a serious impact on public health. Excess heat can exacerbate common health conditions, but it can also mess with your air conditioning, overheat phones and cause meltdowns for other tech. If you live in an area at risk for extreme heat, or know someone who does, you can sign up for a free alert system to help you prepare. The HeatRisk tool from the National Weather Service can send personalized warnings straight to your inbox, giving you advance notice when dangerously high temperatures are headed your way. HeatRisk is free to use and you'll want to keep tabs on it to avoid heat safety issues, such as heatstroke, dehydration or fatigue. Here's how to use it and why you should. Read more: This CDC Tool Can Help You Track Heat Risks on Trips and in Your Area What is NWS HeatRisk? Heat across the US in summer 2025. Screenshot by Macy Meyer/CNET NWS HeatRisk is a clickable map of the US, which is used to forecast extreme heat and assess the impact of that weather on public health. You can click anywhere on the interactive map and pull up a seven-day forecast of risk assessments for any city, town or area. The threat assessment is built on a five-level system that's color-coded for severity, with green representing little to no risk and magenta representing the highest risk. The map will display a seven-day forecast for anywhere in the country, along with the color of the health threat level. The system also considers how unusual the heat is for your area, how long the heat is expected to last and how it could affect people who are more vulnerable, such as older adults, kids or outdoor workers. Read more: Super Common Health Conditions Can Make a Heat Wave More Dangerous: Here's How to Prepare Threat colors NWS HeatRisk has five levels, each with a different color that corresponds to the size of the health risk: 0: Green According to the NWS tool, there's little to no risk involved with the forecasted heat at the green level. 1: Yellow At the yellow level, there's a minor risk for people who are extremely sensitive to heat. 2: Orange The orange level represents a moderate risk to the general public, with potential danger to health systems and heat-sensitive industries. 3: Red Red means there's a major risk to anyone without access to immediate cooling and hydration, with likely impacts to health systems and heat-sensitive industries. 4: Magenta The most extreme level is magenta. It's both a rare occurrence and one that's of long duration, with no overnight relief and is likely to affect health systems, heat-sensitive industries and infrastructure. How to sign up for heat risk alerts To get free heat warnings, go to enter your ZIP code and sign up for email or text alerts. You'll get daily updates when your area faces extreme heat levels that could pose a health risk. Signing up for alerts is a quick step that could help you plan ahead, from adjusting outdoor activities to checking on family or neighbors, or just opting to stay hydrated and inside. Other ways to track heat risks Similar to NWS HeatRisk, a tool from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called the HeatRisk Dashboard gives you a seven-day forecast to assess the potential health impact from extreme heat. Data Explorer is another tool from the CDC's Environmental Public Health Tracking Program, which offers further HeatRisk information and assessment resources for COVID-19 and other illnesses. Read more: Here's How to Keep Your Kitchen Cool (and Lower Your Energy Bill) During a Heat Wave Why extreme heat warnings matter Summer 2025 has already been a scorcher in many parts of the country. It's important to stay diligent since extreme heat is the deadliest weather hazard in the US, causing more deaths each year than hurricanes, floods or tornadoes. The risks of heat are only growing. Heat waves are lasting longer, nighttime temperatures are staying high and unusual humidity -- like the current "corn sweat" in the Midwest -- can make it even harder for your body to cool down. Staying informed is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and your loved ones. Along with signing up for alerts, the CDC recommends learning the signs of heat-related illnesses, drinking plenty of water and never leaving children or pets in cars. For more ways to stay safe this summer, check out CNET's guide to the best portable AC units, tips for cooling down this summer and how to make your home more heat-resilient.
CNET
26-06-2025
- Health
- CNET
Track the Heat Wave and Your Risk With This Easy CDC Tool
It's only June, but the Midwest and Northeast have already experienced some of the hottest days of the year. So whether you're sticking around your neighborhood or setting off for your summer travel plans, it's crucial to keep tabs on the weather to ensure you're adequately prepared with proper hydration and access to necessities to keep cool. Heat is the leading weather-related cause of death, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, although many of those deaths are preventable. When people are exposed to high temperatures for too long without critical resources to cool themselves, illnesses like heat exhaustion and heatstroke can set in. To help people get a handle on this public health issue, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has come out with the HeatRisk Dashboard, which is designed to give the public easier access to information on just how hot it will be in their local area, the health risks that may be associated with the heat that day and steps to prevent heat-related illness. Read on to learn how to use it. You can also check out the expert-approved foods that can help keep you hydrated and how to respond when someone near you is having heatstroke. How to find the heat risk for your neighborhood To use the HeatRisk Dashboard, enter your ZIP code where it says Get your local HeatRisk. Then, a scale of how serious the heat is will show up, ranging from "no risk" to "extreme." Alongside the scale, the CDC has another box that puts the risk in perspective. For example, in my ZIP code on June 19, it said the heat risk for the day was "moderate" and should be an "okay day" for being outside for most people, but people who are outside for long periods or those who are sensitive to heat could see health effects. You'll also see tips for staying safe indoors and outdoors in the heat, as well as reminders to check on pets and other people in your life, especially if they have a health condition that makes them more susceptible to heat or restricts their mobility. The dashboard also includes information on air quality. The consumer-friendly dashboard is part of a broader Heat and Health Tracker initiative by the CDC. If you pull this up, you'll see a map of the US and the number of heat-related emergency medical visits per 100,000 total visits by region, a gauge for how serious the public health threat is. Scrolling down on this same page, you can also compare daily rates of emergency room visits. The CDC says its HeatRisk data is a forecast developed in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service, and it takes into account things such as humid air and community-level relationships with heat. Read more: Power Grids Under Pressure: US Areas at Risk of Blackouts During the Summer An example of today's heat risk in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. CDC/Screenshot by CNET Staying informed helps you avoid health risks While it may be helpful for health centers and hospitals to look for a potential influx of patients needing emergency care as a result of the heat, having more information about heat and heat-related illnesses could also help people get a better handle on their individual risk. People with certain medical conditions, older adults and young children are among the most vulnerable to heat illness, and they should be given extra care and spend more time indoors or in cool areas during heat waves. For more information on staying safe in the heat, check out these tips for wearing cooling clothes, how to keep your pets safe in high temperatures and how to manage your mental health during a heat wave.
