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Millions of Americans are under heat alerts Monday as a heat wave brings triple-digit temperatures or heat indices to nearly half the continental United States, according to the National Weather Service—with the heat expected to impact the parts of the Southeast and the Mississippi river the hardest.
Extreme heat warnings were issued for states along the Mississippi River and other parts of the ... More
Extreme heat warnings—the NWS’ highest level of heat alert—were issued for several states along the Mississippi River, including southern Illinois and Indiana, western Tennessee and Kentucky, southeastern Missouri, eastern Arkansas, and parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Similar extreme heat warnings were issued for much of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, as well as parts of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Ohio.
At least 15 more states were placed under heat advisories, the NWS said.
Several regions could see the heat index—or what the temperature feels like when combined with humidity—rise well into the triple digits: coastal Georgia and South Carolina could see heat index values rise as high as 115 degrees, New Orleans could rise as high as 114 degrees, and parts of Mississippi and Louisiana could reach heat indices of 120 degrees.
Much of the coastal Northeast is also under a heat advisory, with temperatures expected to reach the high 90s or lower 100s in New York City on Monday.
Tampa, Florida, broke its all-time heat record Sunday afternoon when the mercury reached the 100 degree mark at Tampa International Airport for the first time ever. The city’s previous record was 99 degrees, set in 2020. Forecasters are predicting the temperature to reach the high 90s or low 100s again Monday, with a heat index rising as high as 112 degrees. Leesburg, a city in central Florida north of Orlando, broke its heat record Sunday after reaching 100 degrees as well, and the rest of the region is bracing for more potentially record-breaking triple-digit temperatures Monday and Tuesday.
At least 175 million. That’s how many people are under heat advisories, according to an estimate by AccuWeather on Monday.
In regions under the extreme heat warnings, the NWS recommends people stay out of the sun and in air conditioning. Limit exercise and "strenuous activity” to mornings and evenings, drink enough fluids, do not leave children or pets in cars, and check up on vulnerable family members and neighbors, the NWS says. Experts also warn Americans to monitor for signs of heat exhaustion—including heavy sweating, clammy skin and fainting. Heat stroke, a more severe condition that occurs after the body reaches an internal temperature above 103 degrees, is a major danger during heat waves, and can cause a rapid pulse, headaches, dizziness, nausea and fainting.
Forecasters are predicting much-needed relief for much of the affected areas by the second half of the week, with many of the extreme heat warnings expiring by 8 p.m. on Wednesday or 6 a.m. on Thursday. A cold front will push over a large portion of the country next week, according to forecasters at the Weather Channel, and cooler-than-average temperatures are more likely than extreme heat in much of the Northeast and Midwest in the next 6-10 days, according to the NWS. However, temperatures will still be higher than average for much of south Florida and the Southwest, according to the NWS.
Extreme heat has already disrupted travel, creating adverse conditions for flights and causing problems at the nation’s airports. Over 3,900 flights were delayed as of 2 p.m. EDT on Monday, according to online tracker FlightAware. Chicago-O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta had the highest number of delays.