Heat alerts issued across 21 US states as temperatures soar
Heat-related warnings were in effect across 21 states on Thursday, as the National Weather Service (NWS) cautioned millions of Americans about "dangerously hot conditions" in multiple regions.
Officials warned that extended time outdoors without adequate hydration and cooling measures could lead to heat-related illnesses, News.Az reports, citing Newsweek.
Extreme heat watches were in effect for parts of southern Nevada, southeastern California, and southern Arizona.
Portions of south central Arizona could hit temperatures of up to 118, the NWS said, and parts Nevada and California were expected to reach 115. Death Valley National Park's temperatures could exceed 120, the agency said.
"An Extreme Heat Warning means that a period of very hot temperatures, even by local standards, will occur," the NWS says. "Actions should be taken to lessen the impact of the extreme heat."
It advised: "Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors."
Heat advisories, issued "for dangerous heat conditions that are not expected to reach warning criteria," were in effect for numerous states as of early Thursday, including:
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Massachusetts
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Texas
Triple-digit temperatures were expected in far west Texas and New Mexico's Luna County, where the NWS advised residents in affected areas to try to limit strenuous to early morning or evening.
A large portion of the Midwest was also under extreme heat watch, including parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois, with a heat wave expected in this area over the weekend.
"Numerous daily record highs and warm lows are anticipated Sunday into early next week," the NWS Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said in a post Wednesday.
"This level of heat can be dangerous to anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration," the WPC added.
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