A third of the country is facing another blast of late summer heat just as the season begins to wind down.
Nearly 109 million Americans across the central U.S. from the Plains to the Midwest, and the Gulf Coast and Southeast are now under heat alerts that will last through at least Wednesday, but with no relief from the heat in sight, they will likely be extended.
Of that population, more than 66 million Americans are under Excessive Heat Warnings, stretching from Minneapolis to Austin.
“It’s expected to be the hottest week so far in America,” said Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen.
Too hot for too long
“People are kind of sleeping on the fact that this is the hottest week of the year likely for places where it’s already been a hot summer,” said Meteorologist Ian Oliver.
“It’s hot, upwards of 25 degrees above average,” added Meteorologist Kendall Smith. “It’s just going to be miserable and so dangerous.”
Some meteorologists have taken to social media saying that parts of the Midwest through the South could see some all-time record high temperatures.
The Milwaukee Public School district already announced that schools will be closed Wednesday because the buildings are not air conditioned.
But high temperatures don’t tell the entire story.
When the humidity is factored in, the feels-like temperature or heat index soars.
Minneapolis will feel like 112 degrees on Tuesday.
Chicago will feel like 109 on Wednesday.
The heat shrinks in the North but expands South and East midweek.
Nashville will feel like 109 on Thursday, and Houston will feel like 113.
Agricultural areas will have added humidity from crops and evapotranspiration or “corn sweat.”
Crops sweat to cool down, just like humans, and provide extra moisture to the air.
Heat dome not budging
The area of high pressure anchoring the heat dome over the middle of the country hasn’t budged for most of the summer.
“That high pressure actually builds up in strength and thickness, which means you’re going to see more of these records going down,” said Van Dillen.
By Thursday, more than 172 million people will endure highs of 90 and above.
The hot and humid combination spells out dangerous daytime heat. Unfortunately, heat illness is cumulative, so the sultry nights won’t give much opportunity to cool down and repair.
The greatest risk of excessive heat is through eastern Texas and parts of the Gulf Coast States, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
“Portions of the South Central U.S. and Gulf Coast may further extend their record number of days with a heat index reading of at least 110,” said the FOX Forecast Center.
