The National Weather Service has warned that extreme heat will affect more than 100 million people in the US this week, with temperatures reaching triple digits in some states and temperature records being broken in many parts of the country.
“Above-normal temperatures will continue to prevail across much of the US through the end of the week, with a significant portion of the population remaining under heat-related advisories and warnings,” the agency said.
Heat advisories and warnings have been put in place for 28 states, with central and southern states bearing the brunt of the scorching heat.
Parts of Oklahoma reached 115F (46C) this week, while the Dallas area reached 109F (42C).
Emergency medical services in Tulsa, Oklahoma, have reported an increase in heat-related emergency calls this year. The city’s Emergency Medical Services Authority said it has received nearly 250 calls this year, a number that typically peaks later in the summer.
“It’s very concerning,” the department’s Adam Paluka told CNN. “Especially because the number of patients being transported indicates that some of these calls are heat stroke, which can be fatal.”
In the Northeast, where temperatures are settling above 90 F (32 C), city leaders have warned residents to limit outdoor activity during the hottest hours of the day.
Philadelphia declared a “heat health emergency” for Thursday and has set up a “heat line” number for residents experiencing intense heat. Boston has opened community centers and swimming pools as places for residents to cool off.
“It’s clear that a changing climate is a risk to our health,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Wednesday. “I urge everyone to stay cool and safe, and check on your neighbors this week.”
Phoenix, America’s hottest city, was under an extreme heat warning for Thursday and Friday. Temperatures are expected to reach 113 F (45 C) Thursday afternoon and 115 F (46 C) Friday afternoon. Heat advisories are only issued when temperatures are above average for the time of year, and in Phoenix in July that means temperatures above 112 F. So far this year, the city has hit or tied four daytime record highs and nine nighttime lows.
The impact of heat is cumulative, and the body only begins to recover when temperatures drop below 80 F. Climate scientists have warned that heat waves, which have spread across Europe and Asia this summer, will be more intense and prolonged if the climate emergency is not addressed. A study published in May showed that human influence on the climate made a particular heat wave in South Asia 30 times more likely to occur.
Speaking in Somerset, Mass., on the climate crisis on Wednesday, Joe Biden called global warming an “emergency,” but stopped short of declaring a national emergency, as activists had hoped the president would. This declaration would allow Biden to block crude oil imports or direct the military to work on renewable energy production. The White House said a formal emergency declaration “is still on the table.”
“It is literally, not figuratively, a clear and present danger,” Biden said. “The health of our citizens and communities is literally at stake.”
Additional reporting by Nina Lakhani