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Heat Wave Threatens More Than 100 Million With Dangerously High Temperatures Next Week—Here’s Where

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The National Weather Service has warned of severely high temperatures affecting parts of the Midwest and Northeast regions of the country starting Sunday and lasting until the end of the next week, in the region’s first heat wave of the year.

A dangerous heat wave could bring maximum temperatures above 90 degrees in major cities across the Northeast and Midwest region. Getty Images© Provided by Forbes

Key Facts

According to the NWS Weather Prediction Center, the heat wave will begin on Sunday in the Midwest, before spreading to the Northeast in the next few days and it is expected to last at least until Thursday.

The agency warned that maximum daytime temperatures could touch 105 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas, while nighttime temperatures remain in the balmy mid-70s in major cities.

NWS forecasts show the maximum heat index—a metric that combines temperature with humidity to show how hot it feels—in cities like Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia being above 90 degrees for most of next week.

Cities like Detroit and Pittsburgh could see some of the region’s highest temperatures, with forecasts showing a maximum heat index of more than 100 degrees for several days next week.

The NWS’ update warned there is a 40-60% chance the excessive heat could last until next Friday in the Northeast and until June 24 in the Midwest.

Tangent

The extreme temperatures raise the risk of rapid onset or flash drought “across portions of the eastern Corn Belt and Mid-Atlantic,” the Weather Prediction Center warned.

News Peg

Accuweather forecasts suggest two scenarios for next week’s heatwave. The first one could see 110 million people affected in the two regions with daily high temperatures hovering between 90 and 100 degrees. A more extreme scenario involving a stronger high-pressure system could mean more than 135 million could be affected by the heat wave with temperatures in many areas reaching 100 degrees.

What To Watch For

Summer 2024 is on track to be one of the country’s hottest ever on record, according to the Weather Channel. The weather outlet’s report notes that the heat will continue to rise in July while most of the country will see higher-than-normal temperatures in September.