ARLINGTON, Va. − Excessive heat advisories, watches, and warnings blanketed the first day of summer Thursday for more than 100 million Americans from Chicago to Caribou, Maine, — with more blistering heat on the way.
Meteorologists blame a heat dome, a powerful high-pressure system that traps hot air over a region and prevents cool air from getting in, causing ground temperatures to remain high.
The searing heat rolling across the northeastern tier will make its way to the mid-Atlantic in the coming days. This Washington, D.C., suburb is facing the prospect of 100 degrees by Sunday. High temperatures here are forecast to remain above 90 degrees for the next two weeks.
New England is under siege. The National Weather Service forecast a high of 98 degrees for a second consecutive day in Boston. The same temperature on Wednesday broke a record of 96 degrees for the date that stood for more than 100 years. Worcester, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island, also broke 100-year-old records, and Hartford, Connecticut, was forecast to see 97 degrees, one day after the same temperature broke a record of 95 set in 1995.
The temperature in and around Pittsburgh could feel like 110 degrees through Saturday. The heat index in northwest Ohio and northern Indiana could reach 102 through Friday.
"Millions (are) at the mercy of a prolonged stretch of 90-degree Fahrenheit temperature," AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said. "The longevity of the intense heat will put additional strain on residents and electrical infrastructure."
Developments:
∎ Several state and local officials have implemented protocols in response to the heat. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul activated emergency operations for parts of the state. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu a heat emergency that remained in place through Thursday. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont activated an extremely hot weather protocol will remain in effect until Sunday.
∎ In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams was opening cooling centers − and promoting local parks. "Temperatures are still rising, so find safe ways to stay cool," he said in a social media post. "@NYCParks provide great options from our beautiful beaches to refreshing sprinklers and shady benches."
∎ Some schools near New York City were dismissed early as temperatures reached the mid-90s in the area and planned to send students home early on Friday. "After several 90+ degree days, the temperatures in many of our classrooms will increase to uncomfortable levels," Paul Finch, Arlington Central School District interim superintendent, said in a message.
∎ Organizers of the Pride Parade and Festival in Cincinnati are bracing for extreme heat on Saturday, when it is expected to reach 95 degrees. They plan to give out free sunscreen, Liquid IV packets, and will set up areas with misters, fans and water stations.
∎ Some school districts in north New Jersey dismissed students early due to the heat this week. Clifton High School rescheduled its commencement ceremony on Thursday to the evening to avoid the scorching afternoon temperatures.
∎ Amid a sweltering rush hour, Amtrak lost power on its Northeast Corridor line on Thursday. Rail service into and out of New York's Penn Station later resumed but NJ Transit warned that the service was subject to up to 90-minute delays because of Amtrak's overhead wire issues. Amtrak also warned of significant delays on the Northeast Corridor.
Here comes the heat:Cities have been getting ready for the heat onslaught
Dangerous weather in Ohio as local coroner suspects heat-related deaths
Dangerously hot weather continued to swelter central and southwest Ohio on Thursday as the heat wave pushed temperatures into the 90s. TheOhio Department of Healthhas urged residents to take precautions against heat-related illnesses.
"High temperatures pose the threat of heat-related illnesses for all people, but some are more at risk than others," health department Director Bruce Vanderhoff said in a statement. "It’s critical we remain vigilant and follow some simple precautions to get through it without incident, injury, or illness."
In the Cincinnati area, Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco suspects that at least some deaths this week are connected to the heat wave. But she said autopsies and lab tests are needed before she can confirm any heat-related deaths, a process that could take another day or more.
"Some people have been found in areas where the ambient temperature is significantly higher and at dangerous levels," Sammarco said.
In addition to extreme temperatures, high humidity in some areas of Ohio are making to hard for some people to breathe. Severalcounties in central and southwest Ohio were under an air quality alert Thursday.
TheNational Weather Servicesaid ground-level ozone may exceed healthy levels. A heat advisory for the Cincinnati area was extended to 8 p.m. Saturday.
- Chad Murphy, The Record-Courier; Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer
Heat-related hospital visits tick up in cities hit by heat
Hospitals are seeing the effects heat is having on residents in cities hit by the heat wave, as health officials say they worry about the most vulnerable populations due to age, housing or health status.
Columbus, Ohio, emergency rooms have seen 37 admissions for heat illness since Monday, the city's health department said. Nineteen of those had to be transported by ambulance.
Franklin County Coroner spokesperson Kelli Newman said the spike is above the norm for Columbus, but comparable to other heatwaves Columbus has experienced.
In Erie, Pennsylvania, UPMC Hamot has treated 20 patients with heat-related illnesses so far this week, while Saint Vincent has treated another eight. Eight of Hamot's patients arrived at the hospital on Wednesday, the third day of the heat wave.
"We're seeing people who are dehydrated, or suffering from heat exhaustion or heat cramping," said Jason Chenault, Hamot's senior director of emergency and critical care services. "Most of them are getting rehydrated with IV fluids and discharged, though some of them have been admitted."
Temperatures rose to 91 at Erie International Airport on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Monday'shigh set a recordfor the date, while Tuesday's and Wednesday's highs each fell one degree short of the record.
"People's bodies are just not prepared to deal with this kind of heat this early in the year," said Dr. Chris Cammarata, Hamot's director of emergency medicine. "I worry about those who have to work outside for days in a row when the temperatures are this high."
Thomas Sherry, 64, was sweating profusely Thursday morning after he walked along Peach Street in Erie for nearly 20 blocks.
Sherry, who had spent the previous days of the heat wave cooling off at the Mental Health Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania, said he was not allowed to go inside Thursday due to a disagreement.
Despite the hot weather, Sherry said things could be worse.
"It's much better than winter," Sherry said as he held a quart-size bottle of water.
-David Bruce, the Erie Times-News; Samantha Hendrickson and Bailey Gallion, the Columbus Dispatch
'Nothing that we can't handle': Hard-hit Maine residents enduring
Rebecca Matley has noticed difficulty breathing this week.
The worst she felt was on Wednesday, when the northern Maine city she lives in, Caribou, hit a record-breaking heat index of 103 degrees, making it hotter than Miami.
“Just going from the car to the door you can feel it,” she said.
The 22-year-old works as a barista at The Maine Bean & Tea, where the heat has caused a surge in sales of the shop’s blue raspberry slushie.
“We’re lucky we had a lot of it in stock before Wednesday,” she said.
Shelly Gagnon and her family sought relief at Cross Lake, where they spent their Wednesday evening in the cool water. The 46-year-old said the only routine the heat has interrupted is her morning and nightly walks with her two golden retrievers, Harper and Lucy.
Other local waterways and public pools have been inundated with residents seeking a respite from the oppressive heat.
For the last two days, the splash pad at the Caribou recreation center has been “absolutely packed full,” said Gary Marquis, the superintendent of parks and recreation for the city.
On Thursday night, about 2,000 people will attend Caribou’s biweekly street fair, he said. Local government agencies will be providing water and firefighters in a ladder truck will be “spraying off the kids.”
“It's amazing how people will still come out when it's this hot and enjoy good music and enjoy all the vendors,” he said. “This heat is an inconvenience for a couple days, but it's nothing that we can't handle.”
− Christopher Cann
Here's where heat records were broken
Temperatures broke records all across the region impacted by the heat wave, forecasters said. On Thursday, the National Weather Service office in Pittsburghsaidseveral record daily lows were set across Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia reached a record warm low of 71 degrees while Wheeling's low was 73 degrees, according to the weather service. Meanwhile, Dubois hit both a record high at 89 degrees and a low of 71 degrees.
Here were some records met or broken on Wednesday:
- Boston, Massachusetts, got to 98 degrees on Wednesday, breaking the previous record of 96 degrees for the same date in 1923.
- In Hartford, Connecticut, temps reached 97, breaking the day's record of 95 in 1995.
- The National Weather Service in Caribou, Maine, said the cities of Millinocket, Houlton and Bangor all tied previous records at 95 degrees.
- Albany and Syracuse, New York, also tied their daily 1995 records. Albany hit 94 degrees while Syracuse reached 95 degrees.
- Elkins, West Virginia, set a record high temperature for the second day in a row on Wednesday, when it reached 90 degrees, breaking the 89-degree record set in 1905. Another record could be hit Thursday, forecasters said.
- Record warm low temperatures were met or broken in Indiana. Fort Wayne met a record set in 1995 of 75 degrees, while South Bend's low was 76 degrees, breaking the 75-degree record set in 2012.
Climate change linked to lengthy heat wave
The deadly heat wave that scorched much of North America in early May and early June – and is still baking the central and eastern U.S. – was made 35 times more likely because of human-caused climate change,a scientific studyreleased Thursday says.
The heat wave has killed at least 125 people and led to thousands of heat stroke cases in Mexico, where the heat was particularly intense. Scientists say heat waves will continue to intensify if the world continues to unleash climate-warming emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.
“The results of our study should be taken as another warning that our climate is heating to dangerous levels," said study co-authorIzidine Pinto, a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Read more here.
− Doyle Rice
Heat wave linked to climate change?Eye-popping numbers suggest so.
Long lines for ice cream in Maine
Lilly Goodwin, a manager at Jimmie's Ice Cream & Grill in Brewer, Maine, told USA TODAY the heat wave has fueled a surge in customers. The 22-year-old said the scorching weather “came out of nowhere” and led to long lines as sweaty patrons ordered and waited patiently for their strawberry, vanilla and chocolate cones.
“We’ve been very very busy,” said Goodwin, who lives in the Bangor area, which tied a 29-year record high of 95 degrees on Wednesday. “I’m glad our AC is working. It’s been working extra hard.”
On the same day, afternoon temperatures broke and tied records across the state. The city of Millinocket reached a record 97 degrees Wednesday.
"It's unbearable," said Maria Rowe, owner of the Yum Bake Shop in Millinocke. "When working in the hot kitchen, it just makes it so much worse."
− Christopher Cann
Power companies prepared for high demand
In New York, Con Edison President Matthew Ketschke said the company has opened a command center because of the high demand for electricity and is ready to dispatch crews if necessary. But he said he expects no widespread problems.
"We ask people to generally be smart about their energy usage through a high-load period like this," he said. "Defer energy intensive things like running the dishwasher or laundry until later in the evening when demand goes down. Otherwise the grid is pretty much ready."
Across New England, a region-wide abnormal conditions power alert was in effect. ISO New England, a non-profit regional power transmission agency, projects demand to peak Thursday evening at the highest level of the season so far. But the agency anticipates having the "necessary resources" to meet demand.
"System operators have tools at their disposal if unexpected conditions materialize," the agency said in a statement.
In Virginia, Dominion Energy spokesperson Aaron Rubysaid the power system is "fully prepared" for the heat and thus far is performing well.
"We’re coordinating closely ... to ensure the reliability of the grid throughout the heat wave, not only in Virginia but across the entire 13-state regional grid," Ruby said in a email to USA TODAY.
World could again break record for heat this summer
The dangerous heat is not limited to the United States. Cities on four continents are scorching, an early sign that a season of record-breaking heat could surpass last summer as the warmest in 2,000 years. The World Meteorological Organization says there is an 86% chance that one of the next five years will eclipse 2023 to become the warmest on record.
In Saudi Arabia, where nearly 2 million Muslim pilgrims are finishingthe haj inMeccathis week, hundreds have diedduring the journey amid temperatures 120 degrees. Egyptian medical and security sources said Thursday that at least 530 Egyptians alone had died.
In India, New Delhi on Wednesday registered its warmest night in at least 55 years, with India's Safdarjung Observatory reporting a temperature of 95.4 degrees at 1 a.m.
Alberto makes landfall in Mexico
Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of 2024, made landfall in Mexico and was downgraded to a tropical depression, moving to the west at 18 mph with sustained winds of 35 mph.
Three deaths in Mexico were blamed on the storm. But officials there were also crediting Alberto which delivering much-needed rains to the drought strickent region.
The storm is forecast to dump up to 20 inches of rain across parts of northeast Mexico with nearly a foot of rain expected throughout southern Texas. Such high rainfall totals will likely produce "considerable flash flooding and urban flooding" as well as possible mudslides across northern Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said.
Alberto makes landfall:Danger looms for Texas
How do you stay safe in the heat?
The weather service is urging people to avoid the outdoors in the heat of the day. If that isn't an option, look for shade and drink plenty of water. Temperatures inside closed-up cars can reach deadly heights in minutes, so children and pets absolutely cannot be left in them.
People at greatest risk are young children, elderly people, outdoor workers and those with chronic diseases, mental illness or people taking certain medications that make it difficult to regulate their body temperatures, experts say. Additionally, those without access to reliable AC are at risk, as are others who live in areas called urban heat islands that have little green space and are warmer because of more pavement and buildings.
− Michael Loria
Here's how to keep cool:Stay safe during this week's heat wave that is hitting millions
Contributing: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY; James M. O'Neill, NorthJersey.com; Reuters
