Heat alerts are in effect for more than 135 million people across the Lower 48, including in major cities on both coasts. The alerts have been issued for several days and are expected to continue through the weekend, following a record-setting start to July where hundreds of heat records were broken. The excessive-heat warnings cover areas in the West like Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Jose, and Boise, while the East is facing heat advisories from South Carolina to Massachusetts, including Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston.
The extreme heat levels forecasted across the Lower 48, reaching “major” to “extreme” HeatRisk levels, with the Desert Southwest experiencing the most persistent Level 4 HeatRisk. Las Vegas recently set its highest temperature on record at 120 degrees, with forecasts predicting continued heatwaves in the western United States over the rest of the week. The excessive heat has led to numerous records being broken, with areas in the West like Reno, Las Vegas, and Redding experiencing all-time high temperatures.
Scientific studies show that human-caused climate change is contributing to the intensification, frequency, and extent of heat waves. The ongoing streak of record high temperatures in the planet and the United States’ second-warmest year on record highlight the impact of climate change on extreme weather events like the current heatwave gripping the nation. Despite a brief respite in some areas, the heat dome is expected to persist, keeping temperatures above average and increasing the likelihood of more extreme heat events in the future.
