The southern tier of the U.S. continued to swelter Tuesday, with high temperatures and heat indexes soaring above 100 degrees over a large chunk of the nation from southern California to Florida.
Heat warnings and advisories were in effect for more than 90 million Americans as record-breaking temperatures swept across the South with little relief in sight.
The National Weather Service said record highs were possible from the Four Corners states and Texas to the Lower Mississippi Valley and South Florida.
“Stay indoors and seek air-conditioned buildings,” the weather service warned. “Drink water, more than usual, and avoid dehydrating alcoholic, sugary or caffeinated drinks.”
In Phoenix, the “Valley of the Sun” is accustomed to extreme summer conditions, but the mercury reached 114 degrees on Sunday and 116 on Monday. AccuWeather forecast temperatures to climb above 110 each day through at least the end of the weekend. The forecast high of 116 on Tuesday would break the record high for the date set in 1989. Thursday’s expected high of 117 would break a record last set in 1978.
As of Monday, the desert city has endured 18 straight days of highs of at least 110 degrees, which ties a record, the weather service said. Once the mercury hits 110 on Tuesday, a new record of 19 straight days will be set.
In addition, for nine days in a row, low temperatures have not dipped below 90 degrees in Phoenix.
In Los Angeles, all excessive heat warnings and advisories were canceled “as temps cooled today below critical thresholds,” the weather service said. But forecasters said renewed warnings were likely for the next round of heat expected later this week into the weekend.
The Desert Southwest and Texas can expect consistent daytime highs in the triple digits, while temperatures in the Gulf Coast and mid-South should reach the mid- to upper 90s – with humidity combining to push the heat index to 105-115 degrees, according to the weather service.
Despite a recent weak cold front passing, the Northeast and mid-Atlantic will also continue to see hot and humid conditions through Tuesday.
The silver lining: Air quality that has been hovering in the danger zone in parts of the U.S. for days was improving Tuesday. The only U.S. city in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” zone was Washington D.C., according to iqair.com.
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Smoke from the Canadian wildfires will continue to reach the Lower 48 states on Tuesday, but air quality was improving. Smoke concentrations appeared to be clearing over parts of the U.S. on Tuesday, but the respite could be brief and subject to the vagaries of the winds.
Canada continues to endure the nation’s most extensive wildfires on record − an area about the size of Kentucky is on fire.
Keep your pets safe during the heat wave
Experts are also reminding Americans about pet safety during this extreme heat, including warnings about walking your pet: “As a general guideline, if the outside temperature is too hot for you to comfortably place your hand on the asphalt for several seconds, it is likely too hot for your pet’s paws as well,” Dr. Alejandro Caos, a veterinarian with The Vets, said in an emailed statement.
Caos said that asphalt can absorb and retain heat, making it significantly hotter than the surrounding air temperature. In hot weather conditions, asphalt can reach temperatures that can cause burns and discomfort to your pet’s paw pads. Here are some general temperature ranges to keep in mind:
• 77 to 87 degrees: Generally safe for most pets.• 88 to 92 degrees: Caution advised. Keep walks shorter and avoid prolonged exposure.• 93 degrees and above: It is generally considered too hot for pets to walk on asphalt. Prolonged exposure at these temperatures can lead to burns and heatstroke.
“If you need to take your pet outside during hot weather, try to do so during cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or late evening when the ground is cooler,” Caos said. “Alternatively, you can use pet booties or walk on grass or shaded paths to protect their paws from the hot surface.”
Heat-related emergencies more than triple as El Paso area sizzles under high temperatures
The number of El Pasoans suffering heat-related emergencies has more than tripled this summer compared to a year ago as the region swelters under an unyielding heat wave, a fire department spokesman said Monday.
Residents are urged to take precautions as an excessive heat warning continues in the El Paso-Juárez area with temperatures forecast to possibly reach 110 degrees this week. El Paso is normally at about 96 degrees at this time of year.
El Paso hit a new record-high of 109 degrees on Monday, breaking the old daily record of 106 degrees set in 1980, the local office of the weather service reported.
On Sunday afternoon, a dozen fire trucks and ambulances were dispatched to help several people experiencing heat-illness symptoms at a car show and concert at Ascarate Park in El Paso, said the city’s fire department spokesman Enrique Dueñas-Aguilar.
– Daniel Borunda, the El Paso Times
Tropical Storm Calvin weakening before reaching Hawaii
Tropical Storm Calvin, now downgraded from a hurricane, will further weaken as it approaches the island of Hawaii, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center reports. The state’s Big Island has a tropical storm warning in effect until Wednesday, when the system is expected to become a tropical depression.
The Big Island can expect heavy rainfall locally with about 4-7 inches on windward slopes and possible rough waves. Maui and Hawaii counties are under a flood watch from Tuesday evening until Wednesday afternoon, according to Hawaii News Now.
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Europe enveloped in record heat
Officials warned residents and tourists packing summer Mediterranean destinations to stay indoors during the hottest hours Tuesday as the second heat wave in as many weeks hits the region. In Italy, Red Cross teams checked on the elderly by phone, while in Portugal they took to social media to warn people not to leave pets or children in parked cars.
In Greece, volunteers handed out drinking water, and in Spain they reminded people to protect themselves from breathing in smoke from fires.
The U.N. weather agency said temperatures in Europe could break the continent’s all-time heat record of 119.8 degrees, set in Sicily two years ago. The World Meteorological Organization said it is stepping up efforts to strengthen heat-health early warnings as global temperatures soar.
“Heat is a rapidly growing health risk due to burgeoning urbanization, an increase in high temperature extremes, and demographic changes in countries with aging populations,” the WMO said in a statement. Hundreds of thousands of people die from preventable heat-related causes each year, the statement said.
Numerous thunderstorms to engulf parts of Midwest and East
Heavy and excessive rainfall were expected Tuesday over the Northeast as a cold front comes from the west. Portions of the Ohio Valley have higher risks of excessive rainfall on both Tuesday and Wednesday. While the Plains and Ohio Valley have lower chances of severe weather on Wednesday, residents near the Illinois/Missouri border can expect some of the heaviest rainfall, according to the weather service.
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