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The NWS has issued heat warnings that stretch from the Northwest through the nation’s midsection to the South, while thunderstorms spanning North and South will bring potential severe weather and flooding.
A band of heat will run diagonally, stretching from the northern Rockies across the upper Midwest, through the Midwest, and into the South and Southeast on Tuesday.
Wednesday is anticipated to be both hotter and stickier for the upper Midwest, with heat indices expected to reach the triple digits.
For the central US, the heat is expected to continue through the middle of the week, when a weak cold front should push a little of the heat farther south.
For the Northwest, highs are expected to remain in the 80s and 90s across the region, at least through the weekend.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued heat alerts for the following areas:
Excessive heat warning: central and eastern Montana; north-central Wyoming; northeastern Oklahoma; eastern Arkansas.
Excessive heat watch: central and southern Minnesota; central Iowa.
Heat advisory: Montana; eastern Wyoming; western and southern North Dakota; South Dakota; Nebraska; southern Minnesota; Iowa; central and eastern Kansas; Missouri; western Illinois; eastern Oklahoma; Arkansas; eastern Texas; northern and eastern Louisiana; Western and Northern Mississippi; southwestern Tennessee; northwestern, central and southeastern Alabama; central Georgia.
While people tend to be more concerned about tornadoes, flooding, and hurricanes, those aren’t what kill most people in the United States every year. More people die annually from heat in the US compared to any other weather-related fatalities.
According to the NOAA, the number of Americans who die each year to heat is almost twice those who die in floods, double the number who die from tornadoes and triple the number of people who die in tropical storms and hurricanes.
The most crucial step you need to take to stay safe in the summer heat is to ensure you are adequately hydrated. Drink more than you think you need to. By the time you begin to feel thirsty, you could already be significantly dehydrated.
Your skin also needs protection from dehydration. Protect your skin by using a dry skin moisturizer.
In the upper Midwest, the National Weather Service (NWS) warns of potential severe weather over southern Minnesota, West-central Wisconsin and northeastern Iowa.
Over the mid-Atlantic, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a severe thunderstorm watch over northern Pennsylvania and western New York.
In the Southeast, thunderstorms could dump heavy rain and bring flash flooding over southeastern Alabama, northern Florida, central and southern Georgia, and southern South Carolina.
Wednesday is expected to bring another damp day, with a slow dry out beginning on Thursday for some areas.
For the South, thunderstorm chances throughout the week into the weekend.
