Over 55 million Americans are being advised to prepare for extreme heat in the coming days as unusually hot weather is forecast to affect the Midwest, South, and Northeast this week.
Much of Kansas and Missouri, along with parts of Illinois, Tennessee, and Arkansas, are under an extreme heat warning. The National Weather Service is forecasting high temperatures in the upper 90s for much of the region, with heat indices reaching 110.
Heat advisories are in place in from Florida and the Carolina to Oklahoma and Texas.
The high heat is expected to spread throughout the week. Washington and Philadelphia are anticipated to reach the mid-to-upper 90s later this week.
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"Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors," the National Weather Service said. "Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible."
Temperatures well above average are expected to persist throughout the rest of the month. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting above-average temperatures for nearly the entire U.S. in both its six-to-10-day forecast and its eight-to-14-day forecast.
The summer has already been hot for much of the U.S. Last month ranked as the seventh warmest June in the 131-year record and marked the third warmest June on record for the contiguous U.S. NOAA said that hundreds of locales broke daily records during a June 22-25 heat wave in the Midwest and Northeast.
In addition to this week's heat wave, some severe weather is expected in several regions of the U.S. on Sunday, most notably the Dakotas, Ohio Valley, and lower New England. Additionally, the New York City metro area faces a risk of severe weather on Sunday.
