More than 85% of Americans are bracing for temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit through the weekend, with millions in the south-central US expected to experience readings in the triple digits.
More than 100 million people are under various heat alerts Thursday in more than two dozen states from parts of the American West to New England, a suffocating cocoon that experts believe will become increasingly common due to the effects of climate change.
“Widespread high temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s and low 100s will encompass a majority of the country on Thursday and Friday,” the National Weather Service warned Wednesday.
Keep scrolling for a gallery of photos of Americans beating the heat
The areas at the highest risk for the dangerously hot temperatures span the Southwest, central and south-central US along with the coastal mid-Atlantic region and the Northeast, the weather service noted.
The distressing heat wave has pushed state and local leaders to issue heat emergencies and offer resources to residents to mitigate the high temperatures.
Philadelphia declared a Heat Health Emergency for Thursday due to the expected oppressive heat, activating emergency programs likes special field teams that conduct home visits and outreach for people experiencing homelessness, the department of health said in a news release.
Similarly in New York, residents are encouraged to stay indoors in the upcoming days as the heat continues to sweep across the state to avoid “dangerous conditions that can lead to heat stress and illness,” according to Jackie Bray, the commissioner of the state’s homeland security and emergency services division.
Temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit are expected to remain in New York City, Philadelphia and Boston through the weekend — if not longer.
Meanwhile, triple-digit heat will continue to bake parts of California, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee on Thursday — meaning 1 in 5 Americans will endure dangerous conditions after what has already been a historic week in terms of topping heat records, said CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford.
The heat is expected to persist through the weekend in many places, and more than 85% of the population — or 275 million Americans — could see high temperatures above 90 degrees over the next week. More than 60 million people could see high temperatures at or above 100 degrees over the next seven days.
The excessive heat across the US has been matched by deadly conditions in Europe, where records have been smashed and the European Forest Fire Information System put 19 European countries on “extreme danger” alerts for wildfires.
David Swanson/Reuters
A construction worker drinks water in temperatures that have reached well above triple digits in Palm Springs, California, on June 20. More than 85% of Americans are bracing for temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit through the weekend.
Triple-digit heat records across multiple states
Triple-digit records were set Tuesday and Wednesday in multiple locations across Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, where Tulsa EMS reported responding to nearly 250 heat-related emergency calls so far this year.
“Those numbers are what we would expect to see in mid- to late-August,” Adam Paluka, spokesperson for the Emergency Medical Services Authority, said Wednesday. “So we’re four to six weeks ahead of where we would normally see those mid-200 call numbers.”
“It’s very concerning,” he added, “especially because the amount of patients that are being transported indicates that some of those calls are heatstroke, which can be deadly.”
In Abilene, Texas, temperatures on Wednesday reached 110 Fahrenheit, breaking a 1936 record on that date. Another record of 104 degrees was set in San Antonio, Texas, surpassing the 101 degrees last experienced in 1996.
And as of Tuesday, the Austin area saw 100 degrees on 38 out of the last 44 days, according to the weather service.
“We’re asking people to conserve power so that the systems continue to operate,” Austin Mayor Steve Adler said Wednesday. “We’re asking everybody to do that so that we can get through this together.”
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates about 90% of Texas’ power grid, said it set another record Wednesday for power demand — surpassing a record set a day prior.
Also, Wednesday, a record high of 103 degrees in Fayetteville, Arkansas, topped the 102 degrees seen on that date in 2012.
Another Arkansas city, Mountain Home, saw 107 degrees Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
“This would shatter the old record high of 102 degrees for this date set back in 2012. Official record reports are not sent out until midnight but it sure looks like a new record high,” the weather service wrote Wednesday evening.
Confronting the heat
To help residents brace through the heat, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced that at least 12 community centers will open to anyone who wants to cool off. Additionally, more than 50 splash pads will be available at city parks and playgrounds, she said, as she declared a heat emergency through Thursday.
Meanwhile, some local officials have taken the step to hire chief heat officers to help navigate the response to the extreme heat.
Jane Gilbert, chief heat officer for Miami-Dade County, told CNN’s Don Lemon on Tuesday that Miami now has nearly double the days with a heat index — what the air feels like — over 90 degrees than it did in the 1970s.
“That is not only concerning to people’s health but their pocketbooks. Our outdoor workers can’t work as long, they lose work time. People can’t afford this AC, the higher electricity cost. It’s both a health and an economic crisis.”
David Hondula, director of the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation for Phoenix, echoed that sentiment, saying, “The heat can affect everyone, we’re all at risk.”
High temperatures are one of the top weather-related causes of death in the US, according to Kimberly McMahon, public weather services program manager with the National Weather Service.
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Sue Ogrocki
A worker replaces shingles on a roof Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Oklahoma City, before the heat of the day sets in. Temperatures are expected to be in the triple digits in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
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Ross D. Franklin
People try to keep cool at the Justa Center, a resource center catering to the older homeless population, as temperatures hit 110-degrees Tuesday, July 19, 2022, in Phoenix. Heat associated deaths in Arizona's largest county appear headed for a record this year with 17 such fatalities reported through the first week of July and another 126 under investigation as a growing number of homeless people live outside as temperatures remain well into the triple digits. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Delcia Lopez
Edinburg Vela High School marching band members perform during practice at Edinburg Vela High School Wednesday, July,20, 2022 in Edinburg, Texas. (Delcia Lopez/The Monitor via AP)
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Joe Cavaretta
Yonathan Ghersi, owner of 26 Degrees brewing stops to take a break from cleaning kegs in the heat, Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Pompano Beach, Fla. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
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Joe Cavaretta
Derell Sevenson of Soul Hibachi and Seafood cooks over a hot grill, Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Pompano Beach, Fla. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
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Joe Cavaretta
Artist Rosita de Amarin cools down with a chilled mango from her ice chest, Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Pompano Beach, Fla. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
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Kristopher Radder
Asa Smith, 7, of Brattleboro, Vt., relaxes in the waters at Old Jelly Mill Falls, Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Dummerston, Vt., as temperatures rise into the upper 90s. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)
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Kristopher Radder
Sopheya Gutierrez, 6, of Westminster, Vt., rides on the back of her mother, Starr, as they cool down in the West River, Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Dummerston, Vt., as temperatures rise into the upper 90s. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)
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Kristopher Radder
Kimberly Rodriguez, from Springfield, Mass., goes tubing with her two daughters, Katalina Oyola, 5, and Jerriahnys Oyola, 2, as they cool down in the West River, Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Dummerston, Vt., as temperatures rise into the upper 90s. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)
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Rich Pedroncelli
Ducks pass a beachgoer as they float down the American River at Discovery Park in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Once again temperatures in California's capital crossed the 100-degree mark. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
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Rich Pedroncelli
A woman and youngster wade in the waters of the American River at Discovery Park in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Once again temperatures in California's capital crossed the 100-degree mark. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
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Charles Krupa
Dylan Schoenfeld, 9, of California, leaps over a fountain while cooling off with his brother Charlie, 5, while on vacation during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Boston. Dangerously high temperatures Thursday threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South as millions of Americans sought comfort from air-conditioners, fire hydrants, fountains and cooling centers. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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Mike Simons
Brent Thurmon, who is currently homeless, is wheeled on 11th Street, just west of Trenton Ave., by friend A.J. McCosar, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Tulsa, Okla. Thurmon had been in a local hospital for dehydration, and was treated and released. He said they gave him an IV and a security guard took him to 11th and Trenton and dropped him off. He was unable to get up or move. McCosar was going to take him to a friend's house where he could recuperate(Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)
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Nam Y. Huh
A girl cools off at a fountain during hot weather at the River Trails Park District Woodland Trails Pool in Mount Prospect, Ill., Thursday, July 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
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Andres Kudacki
A woman pushes a stroller during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in New York. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Andres Kudacki
A man runs during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in New York. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Andres Kudacki
A man plays tennis during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in New York. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Jack Myer
"It's a volcano!" exclaims 6-year-old Nolan Rought of Madison, Wis. as he uses his shirt to diffuse a fountain at Citygarden in downtown St. Louis on Thursday, July 21, 2022. According to the National Weather Service, the St. Louis region is expected to experience triple-digit temperatures through the weekend with heat index up to 109 expected on Saturday.(Jack Myer/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
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Andres Kudacki
A child, right, reacts under a plastic rain cover as he walks in the rain with his family during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Manhattan, New York. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Andres Kudacki
People take shelter from rain during summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in New York. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Andres Kudacki
A woman uses her phone during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in New York. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Eli Hartman
Noah Hurtado, 9, splashes down a water slide during a visit to a sprayground Thursday, July 21, 2022 in Odessa, Texas. The National Weather Service issued a Heat Advisory Thursday for areas of southeast New Mexico, southwest Texas and west Texas. High temperatures between 96 and 98 degrees are expected to last until Monday according to the NWS' extended forecast (Eli Hartman/Odessa American via AP)
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Eli Hartman
From left, Arturo Coca, 8, Maricla Coca, 7, and Madalyn Lange, 5, walk through a water feature as they cool off from the heat during a visit to a sprayground Thursday, July 21, 2022 in Odessa, Texas. The National Weather Service issued a Heat Advisory Thursday for areas of southeast New Mexico, southwest Texas and west Texas. High temperatures between 96 and 98 degrees are expected to last until Monday according to the NWS' extended forecast. ((Eli Hartman/Odessa American via AP)
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Andres Kudacki
A man rests in the park at dusk during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Hoboken, N.J. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Andres Kudacki
A man rests with his dog as a couple passes by at dusk during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Hoboken, N.J. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Andres Kudacki
People spend time at the park at dusk during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Hoboken, N.J. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Andres Kudacki
People spend time at the park at dusk during a summer heat wave, Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Hoboken, N.J. Dangerously high temperatures threatened much of the Northeast and Deep South on Thursday, as huge swaths of the country sweltered under a heat wave that could continue for days and send temperatures soaring in places like Boston, Little Rock and Virginia Beach. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Nam Y. Huh
A woman cools off at a fountain at the Woodland Trails Pool in Mount Prospect, Ill., on a warm Thursday, July 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
