PHOENIX (AP) — Extreme heat warnings remained in effect for tens of millions of people across the U.S. on Tuesday as records were broken in cities including Chicago at the start of a scorching hot week.
Midwestern states began baking Monday in what the National Weather Service called a dangerous, long-lasting heat wave that it expects to continue from Iowa to Maine through at least Friday.
On Monday, Chicago broke its 1957 record for highest temperature, hitting 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36.1 degrees Celsius). Hot and muggy conditions will continue this week, with highs at times approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius), the National Weather Service said in a post on social platform X.
In Chicago's Grant Park, people continue to order the spiciest dishes on chef Emmanuel Ramos' food truck menu, despite the scorching heat, WBBM-TV reported.
“They order the spiciest things on the hottest days,” he said. “They order ramen, corn. They just want everything hot. I don't know why,” Ramos said. “Right now, what's good is smoothies.”
Last year, the United States experienced more heat waves — periods of extreme heat lasting more than two days — than any other time since 1936, prompting officials to warn residents to take precautions.
Extreme heat watches or advisories were in effect for much of the Midwest and Northeast, and officials announced the opening of cooling centers and urged people to limit outdoor activities if possible and to stay in contact with family and neighbors who are vulnerable to the heat.
The recent heat has been especially dangerous in Phoenix, where 645 people died from heatstroke in 2023, the highest number ever recorded. Temperatures reached 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 degrees Celsius) on Saturday. Forecasters said the first two weeks of June in Phoenix were the hottest start to a month on record.
Ted Whittock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix, advised people to limit time outdoors between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., stay hydrated and wear light, loose-fitting clothing. More than 100 cooling centers have been opened in the city and surrounding counties, including two new ones that operate at night.
The rise in temperatures comes amid growing concern about the impacts of extreme heat and wildfire smoke. The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity on Monday sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting that the heat and wildfire smoke be declared major disasters.
The agency did not immediately issue a specific response to the petition. A FEMA spokesman for the Western states said there was nothing preventing them from declaring a heat emergency, but noted there would need to be an imminent threat to life and safety that local authorities could not respond to.
While much of the U.S. continues to experience scorching heat, some late-season snow is forecast for the northern Rockies from Monday into Tuesday.
Winter storm warnings have been issued for parts of Montana and north-central Idaho, with up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of snow expected in the higher elevations around Glacier National Park.
Meanwhile, a new influx of tropical moisture is increasing the threat of heavy rain and flash flooding along the central Gulf Coast.
This year's hurricane season is expected to be the most active in recent memory.
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