Not only India but America is also facing scorching heat these days. Yesterday on Sunday, at least 4 crore people in the central and southern parts of America were in the grip of extreme heat. In large parts of the country, scorching heat and heavy humidity had made people’s lives miserable for the second consecutive day. Children and the elderly were especially troubled by this heat.
The temperature has started rising in America also. Here the ‘heat index’, or temperature that makes one feel hot, was spread from Minnesota to Mississippi and in the west to Southern California and Nevada, more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). According to the National Weather Service, temperatures were expected to reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) in some areas of the southwest.
Extreme heat due to heat dome
Meteorologists say that this extreme heat is the result of another ‘Heat Dome’. A heat dome is a phenomenon in which atmospheric conditions trap heat, causing already high temperatures to rise further and persist for longer periods of time.
“It is extremely hot,” said Pete Miller, outreach manager for Threshold CoC, a network that helps homeless people in the US. This network was distributing water bottles to people in Omaha, Nebraska on Sunday. Miller said, “We are seeing many people who are very troubled by the scorching heat. These people are very tired and their condition is really dangerous. The humidity here is very high. If you stand outside even for 30 seconds, you become drenched in sweat. This weather is going to remain like this not only during the day but throughout the night.
Impact on event due to heat
The highest temperature ever recorded was 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44 degrees Celsius) on Saturday in Rapid City, South Dakota. Sunday’s horse racing at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota, was canceled due to the heat.
“Right now, it’s affecting a lot of people in the central part of the country,” said NWS meteorologist Bob Oravac. “The heat will move south by early next week.” The moist air was also causing instability around the upper portion of the heat dome, which brought the threat of severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and hail across the Great Lakes on Sunday. There was a possibility of a strong storm moving towards the east in the coming days.
Scientist Bob Oravac said, “If a ‘heat dome’ is formed in one part of the country, then a different type of weather associated with it is seen in another part. These are all interconnected.” He said that Central America will get some relief by the middle of the week, but the temperature may rise again by the weekend.
Drink plenty of water and stay safe from sunlight
Officials have cautioned the general public, warning that children, the elderly and people with certain medical conditions are most at risk of serious problems like heat stroke. These people are advised to use air conditioning or cooling centers, drink plenty of water and avoid exposure to direct sunlight.
According to average temperature data from the National Centers for Environmental Information, the first half of the year in 2026 will be the second warmest ever in the mainland US.
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