Deadly heat here to stay
Triple digit temperatures to scorch many areas from central Texas to the Canadian border
Central plains states to remain under heat alerts as the high pressure system responsible for the extreme heat inches toward the East Coast: NWS
Heat Warnings, Watches and Advisories are in effect for parts of 18 central Plains and Midwest states, including:
- North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.
Hazards Assessment Map
NWS has forecast that excessive heat will persist from today through July 29 in all the eastern half of the country except for the Northeast. Click image to enlarge.
U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records set in July 2011
Total of 1,048 records Broken (541), or tied (507) so far. Source: National Climatic Data Center. Click map to enlarge.
US Hazards Map
Maximum Heat Index (ºF) – July 20, 2011 forecast by NWS.
The high pressure ridge will cause high temperatures and high heat indices forecast at higher than 100ºF plus for Mon/Tues, and 105ºF plus for Wed/Thurs/Fri, NWS said.
Prognosis by NWS
A large ridge of high pressure in the upper levels of the Atmosphere remains in place across the central U.S., keeping hot temperatures in place. The hot temperatures combined with high relative humidity will create dangerous heat indices well above 100 degrees over a large portion of the nation. The upper-level ridge will begin to expand eastward this week. By midweek, the hot temperatures will begin to spread into the eastern states, with high temperatures in the mid to upper 90s arriving in the Mid-Atlantic states as soon as Wednesday. High temperatures in excess of 100 degrees will be possible by Thursday across much of the Mid-Atlantic states and parts of the southeast U.S. these triple-digit temperatures are forecast to remain in place across the eastern U.S. through the weekend.
UPDATE @ 13:00UTC
The heat wave that has been affecting much of the central U.S. continues to produce dangerous levels of heat and humidity from the Dakotas to Texas and eastward into the Ohio Valley. Heat index values as high as 131°F (55ºC) were reported yesterday and excessive heat watches, warnings and heat advisories are in effect today for a large portion of the central U.S., with temperatures in many locations exceeding 90 degrees, but feeling like 100-110 degrees or higher with the high humidity factored in. The large area of high pressure responsible for the excessive heat will expand eastward over the next several days, with high temperatures in the mid to upper-90s reaching the Mid-Atlantic states by tomorrow, and nearing 100 degrees by Thursday across the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Southeast. Excessive heat is forecast to grip most of the eastern half of the country — with the exception of the Northeast and southern Florida — through at least the weekend.
Summary of today’s weather for the central United States include:
- Dangerous heat continues in the Plains and gradually builds toward the East Coast
- Severe storms possible from the Ohio Valley into the Northeast and northern Mid-Atlantic, and the Northern Plains
- A heavy rain threat extends from the Upper Texas Coast to the Central Gulf Coast (Source: NWS)
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