The first day of summer is ushering a dangerous heat wave in several regions across the United States.
A heat dome, which occurs when the atmosphere traps hot air over an area, like the lid on a pot, is expected to form Friday in the central U.S. and expand to the Midwest and Northeast over the weekend and into next week.
The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories or extreme heat warnings for many states in the central U.S. and placed several more eastern states on extreme heat watch. The agency warns that triple-digit temperatures and oppressive humidity could be common throughout next week.
The minimum daily temperatures in parts of the Upper Midwest and Great Plains could set new record highs tonight, while the eastern U.S. could see record temperatures next week, according to the weather service.
Temperatures could exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit in much of the country to the east of the Rocky Mountains, top 100 degrees in Denver and inch close to that threshold in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
According to the National Weather Service’s forecast, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota and Colorado could see temperatures on Friday that warrant canceling outdoor activities during the day and pose a health risk to sensitive groups like newborns, children and older adults.
By Saturday, much of the Midwest could see temperatures that fall into that category. New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey will likely follow suit on Sunday.
People may be particularly vulnerable to this first heat wave of the summer following the cool, wet pattern in recent weeks, which has prevented people from getting acclimated to warmer weather.
Studies have also shown that climate change has made heat waves more frequent, intense and prolonged.
On extremely hot days, health experts recommend drinking lots of fluids, running fans or air conditioning at home if possible, and limiting time outdoors. If you start feeling ill due to the heat, a cold bath can help reduce your body temperature.
Many parts of the country are doing their best to prepare for the punishing heat. Denver opened recreational centers Friday and Saturday for people looking to cool off. Starting Saturday, Chicago will reopen outdoor pools seven days a week for the first time since 2020.
In New York City, families and children can find refuge at splash parks, cooling stations, public libraries and community centers.
“At home, we definitely have the air conditioner, and there are some cooling stations that we will utilize because we’re an active family,” said Goddess Figueroa, a Brooklyn mother of two.
“We’ll be going into the libraries and any type of malls that might be nearby, or any stores,” she added.
