Potentially Deadly Weather Pattern across Central and Southern US

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Potentially life-threatening heat will stretch across parts of the central and southern US on Thursday, with the heat index between 10-12 degrees above thermometer readings and 20 million under a heat advisory.

Dangerous heat situation for central and southern US

Extremely warm temperatures coupled with high humidity flowing from the Gulf of Mexico, combined with a blanket of thunderstorms over the central and southern US today is going to set up a heat deadly situation for some 20 million Americans who are under heat advisories by the National Weather Service (NWS).

The NWS issued a heat advisory for southeastern Kansas; southwestern Missouri; central and eastern Oklahoma; eastern Texas, including areas surrounding Dallas and Fort Worth; the entirety of Arkansas; and northern Louisiana.

Dangerous heat index

The big story today is the dangerous heat index driven by high humidity. Hopefully, you have the best deodorant for sweating – because you’re going to need it!

Temperatures are forecast to be in the 90s and the central and southern US. However, humidity is going to drive the heat index some 10-12 degrees above the thermometer reading by the late afternoon.

Anticipated heat indexes: Shreveport 108, Dallas 107, Oklahoma City 104, Wichita 104, Houston 104, Little Rock 102, New Orleans 101, San Antonio 101.

Heat in other parts of the country

Temperatures in the Ohio Valley, Midwest, South, and East are anticipated to reach into the 90s on Thursday.

Temperatures in the West will range between the 80s and 90s, while the southern areas of the West and Southwest will reach the 100s.

The coolest spots in the nation today will be in the Northwest and Pacific Coast where temperatures will range between the 60s-70s.

Weather forecast for July 2, 2020

West: San Francisco 66, mostly sunny; Los Angeles 79, partly cloudy; San Diego 73, partly cloudy; Reno 84, sunny; Las Vegas 102, sunny; Salt Lake City 90, sunny; Denver 94, mostly sunny.

Northwest & Northern Rockies: Seattle 66, cloudy; Medford 86, sunny; Boise 80, sunny; Cut Bank 67, windy; Billings 82, sunny; Minot 89, mostly sunny; Rapid City 91, thunderstorms; Cheyenne 88, partly cloudy.

Southwest: Phoenix 103, mostly sunny; Tucson 94, partly cloudy; Albuquerque 93, mostly sunny; El Paso 98, mostly sunny; San Antonio 98, mostly sunny; Brownsville 94, partly cloudy.

Central & Upper Midwest: Lubbock 96, thunderstorms; Dallas 96, partly cloudy; Oklahoma City 98, mostly sunny; Wichita 95, rain; Kansas City 90, partly cloudy; Minneapolis 92, mostly sunny; Madison 88, partly cloudy.

Ohio Valley: Chicago 88, partly cloudy; St. Louis 90, thunderstorms; Detroit 93, sunny; Cincinnati 91, sunny; Indianapolis 91, sunny.

South: Houston 96, mostly sunny; New Orleans 94, partly cloudy; Shreveport 95, partly cloudy; Little Rock 90, thunderstorms; Memphis 90, thunderstorms; Birmingham 88, thunderstorms; Atlanta 89, thunderstorms; Charlotte 90, thunderstorms; Jacksonville 91, thunderstorms; Tampa 93, thunderstorms; Miami 91, partly cloudy.

East: Norfolk 87, partly cloudy; Washington, D.C. 91, sunny; Philadelphia 92, partly cloudy; Buffalo 83, sunny; New York City 91, mostly sunny; Boston 85, windy; Caribou 82, thunderstorms.