Eastern US prepares for year’s peak temperatures as extreme heat travels east

The eastern portion of the United States is set to be overwhelmed by intense heat as extreme temperatures migrate from the Midwest towards the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions. The National Weather Service indicates that residents in these areas will likely experience the warmest days of the year.

Even though normal summer nights do not significantly cool down most parts of the country, the forecast suggests that nighttime temperatures will remain higher than average. This has led to the issuance of excessive heat warnings stretching from the Plains to the East Coast.

As of Thursday, around 200 million people, or 60% of the U.S. population, were under a heat advisory or facing flood warnings or watches. However, incoming moisture in the Southwest has limited the reach of excessive heat warnings to the southernmost counties of California and certain areas of southern Arizona.

Adding to the heat, severe thunderstorms are expected to hit parts of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, and extend to the Middle Missouri Valley until Saturday morning.

The forecast of persistent, excessive heat comes after the World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service announced that July 2023 was the hottest month ever recorded.

Long-standing warnings from scientists suggest that climate change, which is primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels, will trigger more frequent and lasting periods of extreme weather.

On Thursday, significant heat and humidity in major East Coast cities, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City, resulted in a perceived temperature exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius). The forecasters anticipate the breaking of several records on Friday with temperatures projected to be 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 to 8 degrees Celsius) above the average.

Regions like the Southwest and southern Plains have been suffering under oppressive temperatures for weeks. A New Mexico-based meteorologist deemed this continuous spell of temperatures over 100 degrees (37.8 C) as exceptional.

Bob Oravec, a leading forecaster with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, jokingly suggested that those in these regions may not feel much sympathy for the rest of the country.

The excessive heat has placed strain on some of the country’s major power grids and utilities, which may interfere with Americans’ cooling efforts.

In response, Con Edison in New York City has appealed to residents to use air conditioning sparingly to conserve electricity. Overloading an electrical grid can lead to blackouts, which are not only inconvenient, but can also result in equipment failures and significant pollution during restarts. The country’s largest power grid, PJM Interconnection, announced a level one energy emergency alert for its 13-state grid on Wednesday, indicating concerns about its ability to supply sufficient electricity.

Jeffrey Shields, a spokesperson for PJM, stated on Thursday that, “PJM currently has enough generation to meet forecast demand, but operators continue to monitor the grid conditions for any changes.”

PJM is not the only grid issuing such an alert. A similar warning was issued on Thursday by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which primarily covers Midwest and Northern Plains states.

The California Independent System Operator also issued an energy emergency alert on Wednesday evening due to the intense heat in Southern California. However, this alert expired the same day. Spokesperson Anne Gonzales mentioned they expect to fulfill the electricity demand in the coming days.

A representative for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which covers most of Texas, said that they foresee their grid operating normally during this latest wave of severe weather across the country.

The extreme heat is expected to peak in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest on Friday and Saturday. Relief is expected with the arrival of a cold front on Sunday, which should continue into the next week.

For more updates, follow Drew Costley on Twitter: @drewcostley.

The Big Big News Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP holds sole responsibility for all content.

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More about Extreme Heat

• National Weather Service
• World Meteorological Organization
• European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service
• Con Edison
• PJM Interconnection
• Midcontinent Independent System Operator
• California Independent System Operator
• Electric Reliability Council of Texas
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group