June 18th 2024.
Millions of people in the United States were affected by extreme heat alerts on Tuesday, with cities such as Chicago breaking records at the beginning of a week filled with scorching temperatures. The Midwest states had already started experiencing heat on Monday, which the National Weather Service described as a dangerous and long-lasting heatwave that would stretch from Iowa to Maine until at least Friday.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday that she had activated the National Guard to assist in any heat-related emergencies that may arise in the coming days. "This is a time of significant risk, and we want to ensure the safety of all lives," she said during a morning briefing.
Chicago, known for its windy city status, even broke a temperature record from 1957 on Monday, with a high of 36.1 degrees. The National Weather Service in Chicago warned that the hot and humid conditions would persist throughout the week, with heat indexes reaching as high as 37.7 degrees at times. Despite the intense heat, people in Chicago's Grant Park were still ordering the spiciest dishes from the food trucks, according to cook Emmanuel Ramos. "They be ordering the hottest stuff on the hottest day," he said. "They order ramen, corn – they just want everything hot. I don't know why. Right now, something that would be good is the smoothies."
Last year, the US experienced the most heat waves since 1936, with officials issuing warnings for residents to take precautions. This year, much of the Midwest and Northeast were under heat warnings or watches, and officials opened cooling centers to provide relief for those affected by the heat. They also urged people to limit their outdoor activities and check in on vulnerable family members and neighbors.
The heat has been a growing concern, especially in Phoenix, where a record-breaking 645 people died from heat-related causes in 2023. On Saturday, temperatures there reached a scorching 44.4 degrees. The National Weather Service in Phoenix advised people to reduce their time outdoors between 10am and 6pm, stay hydrated, and wear light, loose-fitting clothing. Over 100 cooling centers were opened in the city and surrounding county, including two new ones that would operate overnight.
In Southern California, firefighters were working hard to contain a large wildfire in the mountains north of Los Angeles, but hot, dry, and windy weather could pose a challenge on Tuesday. Wildfires were also raging in New Mexico, forcing the evacuation of a village of 7,000 people.
Along with the extreme heat, there were also concerns about the effects of wildfire smoke. The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity submitted a petition to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Monday, asking them to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters. While FEMA did not issue a specific response to the petition, a spokesperson for the western US states said that there was nothing preventing an emergency declaration for extreme heat, but there would need to be an immediate threat to life and safety that local authorities could not handle.
While much of the US was experiencing record-breaking heat, the northern Rockies were expecting late-season snow, with parts of Montana and north-central Idaho under a winter storm warning. Higher elevations around Glacier National Park could see up to 51 centimeters of snow.
On the other hand, the central Gulf Coast was facing a different threat as a fresh batch of tropical moisture brought an increased risk of heavy rain and flash flooding. This year's hurricane season is predicted to be one of the most active in recent memory.
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