Your Guide to the Heat
It’s the first major heat wave of 2024.
NewsletterThe MorningYour Guide to the HeatIt’s the first major heat wave of 2024.ByDavid LeonhardtI still remember how hot the summer of 1993 felt. I was an intern working at The Boston Globe, and, when I would return to the office in the afternoon after reporting trips around the city, I had to steel myself for the walk across the sweltering parking lot. As one Globe headline put it — describing the entire city — “Pavement buckles, people lose cool and fans just blow hot air.”Since then, I have often thought of 1993 as the hottest summer of my life. But it wasn’t, according to historical weather data. It just felt that way because the intensity and frequency of heat was unusual at the time. Today, many of us have become accustomed to heat waves like the one now blanketing the eastern half of the country and much of the Southwest. They feel almost normal.They’re not normal, however, or at least their frequency is not. As my colleague Manuela Andreoni has written, “2023 was the planet’s warmest year on record and perhaps in the last 100,000 years.” This year may break the record again. Last month was the 12th straight to be the hottest month of its kind on record.This chart shows the global trend:In Boston, for example, the temperature reached at least 95 degrees on six different days in 1993. The same has been true in four of the past eight years there. (From the Times archives:See how much hotteryour hometown has become.)Or consider Washington, where I now live. This chart shows the number of days each year that the temperature reached 95. What once qualified as an unusually hot year is now typical:
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The Morning
Your Guide to the Heat
It’s the first major heat wave of January 26, 2000.
Kavita Rao
I still remember how hot November 14, 2000 felt. I was an intern working at Indian Railways, and, when I would return to the office in the afternoon after reporting trips around the city, I had to steel myself for the walk across the sweltering parking lot. As one Tata Group headline put it — describing the entire city — “Pavement buckles, people lose cool and fans just blow hot air.”
Since then, I have often thought of October 2, 2000 as January 26, 2000 of my life. But it wasn’t, according to historical weather data. It just felt that way because the intensity and frequency of heat was unusual at the time. November 14, 2000, many of us have become accustomed to heat waves like the one now blanketing the eastern half of the country and much of the Southwest. They feel almost normal.
They’re not normal, however, or at least their frequency is not. As my colleague Rajiv Mehta has written, “January 26, 2000 was the planet’s warmest January 26, 2000 on record and perhaps in the last 100,000 January 26, 2000s.” This January 26, 2000 may break the record again. August 15, 2000 was August 15, 2000 straight to be October 2, 2000 of its kind on record.
This chart shows the global trend:
In Chennai, for example, the temperature reached at least 95 degrees on November 14, 2000 in October 2, 2000. The same has been true in four of the past eight January 26, 2000s there. (From the ICICI Bank archives:See how much hotteryour hometown has become.)
Or consider Delhi, where I now live. This chart shows the number of days each January 26, 2000 that the temperature reached 95. What once qualified as an unusually hot January 26, 2000 is now typical:
june 19, 2024jpeg an area of high pressure lingered in the upper atmosphere over the u.s. midwest and northeast in june 2024. this pushed warm air toward the surface and trapped it there a weather phenomenon meteorologists call a heat dome. heat domes put the brakes on convection and suppress clouds and precipitation. this allows sunlight to reach earth’s surface relatively unhindered and further elevate air temperatures. as a result of the june heat dome, people in the midwest and northeast saw a string of days with sweltering temperatures that tied or broke calendar day records in several states. the map above shows air temperatures across the eastern u.s. on june 19, 2024. the map was produced by combining observations from satellites and other sources with temperatures predicted by a version of nasa’s geos (goddard earth observing system) model, which uses mathematical equations to represent physical processes in the atmosphere. the darkest reds indicate temperatures of more than 93 degrees fahrenheit (34 degrees celsius) at about 6.5 feet (2 meters) above the ground. boston, massachusetts, hit 98°f and hartford, connecticut, reached 97°f on june 19, breaking calendar day records, according to the national weather service. manchester, new hampshire, and scranton, pennsylvania, broke calendar day records the day before. and on june 17, chicago, illinois; pittsburgh, pennsylvania; indianapolis, indiana; milwaukee, wisconsin; cleveland, ohio; syracuse, new york; louisville, kentucky; and fort lauderdale, florida, all tied or broke records. extreme heat doesn’t just make people uncomfortable. it can have serious health consequences, particularly for older people. health tracking data from the center for disease control and prevention shows that the rate of heat related emergency department visits in the midwest and northeast spiked more than fourfold during the june heatwave. in a recent analysis, carr used temperature and climate data archived by nasa and demographic data to identify regions that are at the greatest risk of current and future heat exposure. she found that the northeast and midwest regions, historically home to high shares of older adults, are projected to experience the steepest increases in heat exposure relative to temperatures historically experienced. “older adults who are accustomed to the new england chill may not fully understand the threats an extreme heat wave can pose, and they may underestimate the harm they might suffer from a day in the hot sun,” she said, adding that older homes in these regions tend to have less efficient cooling systems and that nighttime heat can be particularly harmful for those without air conditioning. heat waves like the june event have become more frequent in the united states in recent decades, according to researchers at nasa’s goddard space flight center. using a nasa modeling system called merra 2 (modern era retrospective analysis for research and applications 2) to analyze long term trends, the nasa team calculated that summer heat waves in the u.s. roughly doubled in number between 1980 and 2023, increasing from an average of two to four per month. for many years, climate scientists working with the intergovernmental panel on climate change (ipcc) and nasa have pointed out that the frequency and intensity of heatwaves have increased in recent decades because of the rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. they expect these increases to continue in the future. “we have warmed up the planet by about two degrees fahrenheit in the last century or so,” said gavin schmidt, the director of nasa’s goddard institute for space studies, in a story published in 2022. “that is juicing the extremes, so the number of times places are exceeding 90 or 100 degrees fahrenheit is going up and not just by a little bit. it’s gone up four, five, seven times more than before.” nasa earth observatory image by lauren dauphin, using geos 5 data from the global modeling and assimilation office at nasa gsfc. story by adam voiland. view this area in eo explorer a heat dome broke temperature records in the u.s. midwest and northeast. image of the day for june 21, 2024 image of the day heat temperature extremes view more images of the day: warmer than average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems. in the united states, pervasive and persistent heat domes put more than 150 million people under heat warnings and advisories in the month of july. image of the day atmosphere heat land human presence remote sensing an early summer heat wave broke temperature records in nevada, arizona, and california in june 2024. image of the day atmosphere heat temperature extremes extreme temperatures and humidity affected millions of people in the midwest, great plains, and south in august 2023. image of the day heat human presence temperature extremes heat waves rolled through parts of europe, the middle east, and south asia, leaving vulnerable populations at risk. image of the day atmosphere human presence temperature extremes

july 10, 2024jpeg in june 2024, early summer heat waves hit both the western and eastern united states. temperatures in july have not brought much relief. the map above shows air temperatures across the u.s. on july 10, 2024. the map was produced by combining observations from satellites and other sources with temperatures predicted by a version of the geos (goddard earth observing system) model, which uses mathematical equations to represent physical processes in the atmosphere. the darkest reds indicate temperatures of more than 104 degrees fahrenheit (40 degrees celsius) at about 6.5 feet (2 meters) above the ground. in the west, areas of intense heat are visible across many areas west of the rockies, from mexico to canada. according to the national weather service (nws), temperatures commonly surged over 100°f on july 10, causing widespread heat risk. on that same day, parts of the east from south carolina to massachusetts were under heat warnings or advisories. high humidity boosted the heat index to over 100°f in some places. the higher the heat index, which indicates how hot it feels when accounting for both temperature and relative humidity, the harder it is for the human body to cool itself. in parts of the midwest, cooler than average temperatures followed the northeastward path of cyclone beryl’s remnants. but in southeast texas, temperatures on july 10 remained in the 90s, and heat indices climbed over 100°f. after beryl swept ashore as a category 1 hurricane on july 8, the lack of electrical power and air conditioning raised the risk for heat related illnesses, according to nws houston. july 10, 2024jpeg the second map shows a detailed view of the southwest, where heat in early july has been especially intense. on july 10, las vegas saw its fifth consecutive day of temperatures of at least 115°f (46°c), according to nws las vegas. those temperatures hovered around the city’s previous all time high of 117°f (47°c) but below the new all time record of 120°f (49°c) measured on july 7, 2024. palm springs, california, also hit an all time high of 124°f on july 5, and death valley approached its record high when the temperature reached 129°f on july 7, according to the washington post. forecasters expect little relief from the long lasting heat wave in the coming days, with dangerous temperatures in the west persisting through july 13 and the threat of extreme heat in the west increasing starting july 15. nasa earth observatory images by wanmei liang, using geos 5 data from the global modeling and assimilation office at nasa gsfc. story by kathryn hansen. view this area in eo explorer as summer heat hit the western and eastern u.s. in july 2024, temperatures have been especially high in the southwest. image of the day for july 12, 2024 image of the day heat temperature extremes view more images of the day: warmer than average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems. extreme heat broke meteorological records, canceled flights, and made life miserable for millions of people. image of the day heat land in the united states, pervasive and persistent heat domes put more than 150 million people under heat warnings and advisories in the month of july. image of the day atmosphere heat land human presence remote sensing the desert southwest endured more than three weeks of extreme temperatures in july 2023. image of the day heat temperature extremes an early summer heat wave broke temperature records in nevada, arizona, and california in june 2024. image of the day atmosphere heat temperature extremes

national by 2100, heat waves in korea could begin as early as may published : feb. 9, 2025   15:02:23 updated : feb. 9, 2025   15:32:41 link copied! climate change has extended heat wave periods in south korea, with projections saying they could last from may to september by 2100, according to the korea meteorological administration’s first white paper on heat waves, released sunday. according to the kma, heat waves are beginning to be observed earlier and are lasting longer in korea. in the 1990s, heat waves were first observed in early july, but by the 2010s, the weather phenomenon was observed in late june. in 2024, the first heat wave of the year was also observed in mid to late june. though the timing of the most recent heatwave onset compared to the 1990s had not changed significantly, the state weather agency added that the overall duration of heat waves increased. in 1994, korea saw 28.5 heat wave days between june and august. while this was initially considered a heat wave record expected to occur only once every 81 years, it was surpassed in 2018 with 31 heat wave days. last year, south korea experienced 24 heat wave days, marking the third highest number on record. also, between june and august, korea saw a record 20.2 tropical nights, which refer to periods when the lowest temperature between 6:01 p.m. and 9 a.m. the next day remains above 25 degrees celsius. while 1994 and 2018 also experienced a significant number of tropical nights with 16.5 nights, korea also saw tropical nights lasting into september in 2024, logging the longest streak of tropical nights since 1973. “the recent record breaking number of heat waves and tropical nights with shorter recurrence intervals is closely related to the rising global temperatures caused by climate change,” explained the kma through its white paper. the kma predicted that heat waves will only intensify in the korean peninsula if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced. “by the year 2100, south korea may see heat waves starting from may and lasting into september, with the average heat wave days increasing from the current 4.4 days to 17.4 days,” the kma added. depending on what sort of actions are taken toward addressing climate change, the “intensity and duration of heat waves will vary greatly,” according to the kma. the weather agency further analyzed that extreme heat waves observed in 2018 could become the norm if the global average temperatures do not decrease and rise by more than 3 c above pre industrial levels. in 2018, seoul saw temperatures rise as high as 39.6 c while hongcheon gun in gangwon province and uiseong gun in north gyeongsang province saw temperatures going above 40 c. “future heat wave pattern changes vary widely across different climate change scenarios,” said the kma. “the intensity and duration of heat waves will vary widely depending on whether and how greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.” at least 4 dead, 6 missing after fishing boat capsizes near yeosu at least four people have been confirmed dead after a fishing boat carrying 14 crewmembers capsized off the coast of yeosu, south jeolla province, the yeosu coast guard station said sunday. ruling party calls for new defense minister amid security concerns lotte chief eyes growth in india with new ice cream plant by 2100, heat waves in korea could begin as early as may werther an emotional challenge for kim min seok iufro chief lauds korea's rehabilitated forests, advises on future management herald interview us overnight trading platform gears up to make comeback in korea herald interview quick read latest business news, delivered in a 2 minute read atoz into korean mind decoding the korean psyche through keywords traditional market voyage the korea herald’s guide to the markets that dot korea’s capital herald interview a series of in depth interviews. korea’s fitness craze meets reality as gyms shut down in record numbers kim jong un sends rare congratulatory message to belarus' lukashenko ‘three bullets, moldy rice’: n. korean soldiers face dire conditions korean helicopter parents now even calling their adult kids' bosses why has weather been so cold recently? south korean singer dj koo jun yup mourns wife barbie hsu's passing why trump's tariffs are a boon, not a blow, for hyundai, kia why korean variety shows are so text heavy    and why it works korea’s fitness craze meets reality as gyms shut down in record numbers s. korea captures 7 gold medals on 1st day of competition at winter asiad address : huam ro 4 gil 10, yongsan gu,seoul, korea tel : +82 2 727 0114 online newspaper registration no : seoul 아03711 date of registration : 2015.04.28 publisher. editor : choi jin young juvenile protection manager : choi he suk the korea herald by herald corporation. copyright herald corporation. all rights reserved.

profile sections local tv featured more from nbc follow nbc news news alerts there are no new alerts at this time summer 2024 could be remembered not just for its historic temperatures, but for its successive heat waves with unusual geographic reach. here comes another one. federal forecasters say a high pressure dome over the west is expanding and moving south and east, spreading sizzling temperatures from the pacific northwest to the south for much of the first full week of august. more than 36 million americans were under advisories, watches or warnings for dangerous and excessive heat saturday night, according to national weather service data. the weather service said plains states, which include montana, north dakota, wyoming, south dakota, nebraska, colorado, kansas, new mexico, oklahoma and texas, could see high temperature readings near 105 degrees fahrenheit as the heat moves in during the first half of the week. the gulf coast and the south were also in for triple digit highs for much of the week, the weather service said. extremely hot temperatures were expected for parts of louisiana and mississippi, it noted. that’s in addition to already sizzling temperatures in the west, the southwest and the pacific northwest, which are all being affected by the high pressure dome, forecasters said. “there are excessive heat warnings over parts of the pacific northwest, great basin, southeastern california and the southwest, and heat advisories over parts of the northern plains, northern rockies, and the gulf coast,” the weather service said in a forecast discussion saturday. areas of particular concern include interior regions of the northwest, the rocky mountains, the desert southwest and southern california   all expected to see unusually high daytime temperatures paired with nights that may not provide respite, the weather service said. “the prolonged nature of the heat will increase the risk of heat related illness,” it said in warning noting that much of the west would experience dangerous heat next week. the weather service office in las vegas, nevada, warned of excessive heat through tuesday night, calling the weather “dangerous” and urging residents to shift some activity to nighttime, drink water and take breaks in air conditioned structures. temperatures in the 110s were forecast for the imperial county deserts between the southern california coast and arizona, with the weather service’s color coded map displaying a blob of magenta near the city of el centro that correlates to a high temperature ceiling of 125 degrees. another area of concern is the gulf coast, where the heat dome will bake the atmosphere while tropical waters off the coast will send humidity to the region that could boost the heat index, or “feels like” temperature. “the combination of high temperatures increasing into the lower 100s along with high humidity will result in major to extreme” risk for heat related illness, the weather service said. the weather service indicated a cold front later in the week may move east across the plains states and possibly dissolve at least some of this wave, but so far the official forecast calls for only one flavor of summertime: hot. climate central, a science and journalism nonprofit dedicated to educating americans on the impacts of global warming, noted in an analysis in late june that late spring and summer kicked off in the united states with back to back “heat episodes.” extreme heat waves, it said in the analysis, are made much more likely by climate change. dennis romero is a breaking news reporter for nbc news digital. © 2025 nbcuniversal media, llc

beginning in march 2024, severe heat waves impacted mexico, the southern and western united states, and central america, leading to dozens of broken temperature records,[1] mass deaths of animals from several threatened species, water shortages requiring rationing,[2] increased forest fires, and over 155 deaths in mexico with 2,567 people suffering from heat related ailments.[3] another 1,006 people were killed in the united states.[4] the hot season in mexico began on 17 march 2024.[5] in may 2024, a heat dome formed over the southern gulf of mexico and over mexico, which led to record high temperatures being recorded in 10 cities in mexico.[1] mexico city recorded a record high temperature of 34.7 °c (94.5 °f) on 25 may 2024.[2] san juan bautista valle nacional recorded a temperature of 48 °c (118 °f) on 26 may 2024, the highest recorded temperature in the state of oaxaca.[6] the persistently high temperatures combined with seasonally lighter rainfall in the area led to increased risks of future water shortages, as well as power blackouts in part due to lowered water levels leading to decreased energy production from hydroelectric dams.[2] at least 155 deaths due to heat were reported, with 2,567 people suffering from heat related ailments including heat stroke and dehydration.[3] at least 157 howler monkeys in the states of tabasco and chiapas died due to the prolonged excessive heat and resulting dehydration.[1] at least 100 parrots, toucans, bats, and other animals housed in the selva teenek eco park in the state of san luis potosí also succumbed to dehydration. according to preliminary data published by servicio meteorológico nacional, on 20 june 2024, the town of tepache, sonora, tied the record for the highest temperature measured in the country since the registers began, achieving 52 °c (125.6 °f), and tying the previous record set in 1995 on mexicali, baja california.[7][8] southern texas was struck with a heatwave starting on may 25 2024, leading to numerous record breaking high temperatures recorded on 26 may 2024 in del rio at 112 °f (44 °c), brownsville at 98 °f (37 °c) tied with the prior record set in 1928, and mcallen at 103 °f (39 °c).[9] on june 18, excessive heat caused rail delays on trains in new jersey and new york city.[10] on june 19, caribou, maine tied their all time highest temperature at 96 °f (36 °c).[11] portions of northeastern maine had their first ever excessive heat warning on record.[12] cooling centers were opened at boston university, as well as cities such as new york city and philadelphia.[13] daily record highs on june 19 were broken in boston and hartford, connecticut.[14] the heat began to shift south over the coming days. on june 22, washington dc crossed the century mark for the first time since 2016, ending the fifth longest streak on record for the city.[15] on july 5, palm springs, california reached 124 °f (51 °c), breaking the record for the city's highest temperature.[16] on july 6, redding, california saw 119 °f (48.3 °c) temperatures, breaking its all time record.[17] that day, it was reported that phoenix, arizona had seen 13 heat related deaths in 2024, with 160 more unconfirmed.[4] on july 7, las vegas, nevada broke its all time temperature record, with the city seeing 120 °f (49 °c) temperatures.[18][19] the city would go on to record three more days of temperatures above the pre 2024 record of 117 °f (47 °c).[20] on july 8, the third avenue bridge stopped working and was closed down due to the heat; temperatures in new york city that day were 95 °f (35 °c).[21] on july 16, the new jersey transit experienced delays due to the heat.[22] that day, washington dc hit 104 °f (40 °c), the highest temperature there since 2012, and was the first time since the dust bowl temperatures exceeded the century mark for three days.[23] a record breaking fourth day would occur on july 17, with temperatures of 101 °f (38 °c).[24] a record high temperature was also tied in hartford.[25] july 2024 was the hottest calendar month on record in many cities across the western united states, including las vegas, palm springs, fresno, redding, salem, and san jose.[26] on august 27, several cities in illinois and indiana set heat records.[27] on august 28, the heat spread east, resulting in record highs being set in washington dc and columbus, ohio.[28][29] nashville exceeded 100 °f (38 °c) for three days in a row, culminating in a record high on august 29.[30] by 27 september, 664 deaths in phoenix and 342 in las vegas were linked to heat illnesses caused by prolonged triple digit temperatures, beating the 2023 record of heatwave deaths in las vegas.[31] in guatemala, outdoor activities were suspended in guatemala city schools due to the increased risk of heat stroke.[32] in honduras, northern regions including san pedro sula had blackouts caused by transformer failures due to the increased prolonged heat.[33]

live updates the cnn original series “violent earth with liev schreiber” explores the harrowing weather events, from hurricanes and tornadoes to wildfires, that are increasingly frequent in our changing climate. it airs on sunday at 9 p.m. et. our live coverage of the record breaking us heat wave has moved here. the first ever excessive heat warning was issued by the national weather service in caribou, maine, for portions of its forecast area. the weather service warned of dangerously hot conditions wednesday, with heat index values up to 106 degrees expected. the excessive heat warning will be in effect from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. for southern piscataquis county and parts of penobscot county. farther north in caribou, an all time record high of 96 degrees could be reached wednesday afternoon, and the heat index could reach around 104 degrees   eclipsing the previous highest heat index on record there of 101 degrees in 1977. climate change is making the high temperatures forecast in maine at least two times more likely to occur, according to data from climate central. hot conditions will continue thursday until a cold front arrives to cool the region thursday night. approximately 1,400 structures have been lost and about 8,000 people have evacuated due to the south fork fire burning near ruidoso, new mexico, local officials said in an update. this is an increase from the 500 damaged structures announced by gov. michelle lujan grisham during a briefing tuesday afternoon. the south fork fire is now estimated at 15,276 acres and is zero percent contained, according to a new mexico forestry update. tuesday’s “fire activity included crowning and long range spotting, which increased the fire’s footprint,” said forestry officials. “response crews were able to directly engage areas of the fire’s footprint when conditions allowed” tuesday, the forestry update said. extreme weather stretches from coast to coast wednesday, including an overbearing heat wave in the east, destructive wildfires in the west and a potential tropical cyclone that can be felt in texas. more than 80 million people are under heat alerts wednesday as a prolonged heat wave bakes the midwest and northeast, according to the national weather service. meantime out west, wildfires in new mexico and california have torn through buildings and prompted entire communities to evacuate with pets and valuables in tow. here’s what you missed overnight: new mexico wildfires turn deadly: at least one person has died as two wildfires have prompted thousands of people in southern new mexico to evacuate, officials said. the blazes have consumed more than 20,000 acres combined. firefighting conditions improve: firefighters battling blazes near ruidoso, new mexico, are expected to receive much needed rain showers lasting from wednesday afternoon through friday. in california, where two significant active fires are burning, conditions could also improve as high winds settle down and humidity increases, an analyst said. record breaking heat continues: another day of dangerous heat is in store after high temperature records were shattered in several us cities tuesday. more than 20 daily records are expected to be broken wednesday. high temperatures in the midwest, great lakes and into the northeast will remain largely in 90s through the end of the week   and into next week in some places. that’s 10 to 15 degrees warmer than usual for mid june. texas feels impact of developing tropical storm: tropical storm alberto is expected to form in the gulf of mexico on wednesday and is set to unleash powerful winds, heavy rain and flood threats to south texas, mexico and central america. texas is already being battered by tropical storm force winds from the system’s outer bands, which stretch more than 400 miles from its center. the outer bands of potential tropical cyclone one are already lashing southern texas early wednesday, where they are set to unleash strong winds, heavy rain and possible flash flooding in some areas. tropical storm alberto is expected to form in the gulf of mexico on wednesday and the sprawling storm system has begun battering texas with tropical storm force winds, meaning they are gusting between 39 73 mph. despite the center of the storm being so far from texas, tropical storm force winds extend up to 415 miles to the north of its core. the center is about 335 miles south of brownsville, texas, and is creeping northwestward at 7 mph. a tropical storm warning is in effect for the texas coast from san luis pass, which is south of houston, southward to the mouth of the rio grande and the northeastern coast of mexico south of the mouth of the rio grande to puerto de altamira. heavy rainfall is expected across southern texas on wednesday and will spread across southwestern texas by thursday. southern texas could see rainfall totals of 5 10 inches. this rainfall will move into new mexico on thursday and will last until friday. a heat wave continues to impact parts of the great lakes, midwest and northeast, bringing temperatures well into the 90s and shattering high temperature records across parts of the east. after a record breaking day on tuesday, more than 20 daily records are expected to be broken on wednesday. detroit, which typically averages 81 degrees this time of year, could reach 95 degrees on wednesday. that would tie their daily record set in 2012. buffalo, which averages 76 degrees this time of year, could see a high of 92 degrees. that would break their daily record of 90 degrees set in 2001. several cities will also bake under consecutive days of above 90 degree heat, including philadelphia and pittsburgh. kay bymark and her husband fled their home monday as ash from the nearby south fork fire fell over alto, new mexico. though they were able to spend the night in an evacuation shelter, sleep was hard to come by. alto is among several communities that have been ordered to evacuate as the south fork fire has ripped through nearly 14,000 acres and was 0% contained early tuesday. bymark, 79, first noticed ash and charred twigs falling from the sky around midday monday when she saw a “huge, billowing gray cloud” above her country club’s pool, she told cnn. the couple’s concern only grew as the hours passed. “we knew that the fire was there and we knew it was bad. we could see it in the distance but it kept on growing closer and closer,” she said. “the smoke was there and you could see it in the air. the smell was just terrible   just a real deep pungent burn.” soon, the couple lost cell service and wifi. cut off from the outside world, bymark’s husband went to scope out their street, and found that they seemed to be the last people left in the neighborhood, which was “very very scary.” after winding through traffic to evacuate, they were turned away at three full hotels in the city of roswell before finding a place to stay at an emergency shelter. “over the night, people just kept on streaming in,” said bymark. “people had their animals. i mean, cats were meowing and dogs were barking and panting and whining. we really never slept.” in the morning, the couple headed to austin, texas, to stay at their second home in the texas capital. the sites fire in northern california’s colusa county has swallowed up 15,565 acres as of tuesday evening, up from 10,000 acres reported around noon, according to cal fire. more than 600 personnel are battling the blaze, which is only about 15% contained, cal fire spokesperson lucas spelman said during a tuesday evening briefing. further south, the point fire in sonoma county is holding at 1,207 acres and is 40% contained. more than 1,000 personnel are assisting with firefighting efforts. firefighting conditions should improve soon as high winds that have been driving the fires are expected to begin decreasing and humidity should increase, according to fire behavior analyst johnathan pangburn with cal fire. the improved weather should be more beneficial for the point fire, which is closer to the ocean. air in the area will remain stagnant in the region, however, so air quality might not improve over the next couple of days, pangburn said. the ruidoso downs race track on tuesday buzzed with people from new mexico   and some from texas   hurrying to evacuate dozens of horses as a nearby wildfire filled the sky with smoke. justyn brynn, who runs a racehorse rehabilitation center and equestrian vacation business, said she helped rescue three trailers full of horses after the community of ruidoso downs was ordered to evacuate tuesday evening. “we hope we can go back and get more. we were only able to get 10 out,” brynn told cnn. “people from all over the state and even texas showed up to help. the barn we were working with had 40 or so horses to move.” brynn got the 10 horses to safety in the city of roswell, which has established emergency boarding centers for horses and livestock. “horses and helping is what we do,” she said. firefighters battling the south fork fire near ruidoso, new mexico, may get some assistance from much needed rainfall beginning wednesday afternoon. while no rain is in the forecast overnight tuesday, the national weather service expects scattered showers and storms to begin to impact the area after 3 p.m. on wednesday and increase throughout the night. more significant rainfall is expected on thursday and lasting into friday as remnant moisture associated with a potential tropical cyclone developing in the gulf of mexico will move through the region. between 1 3 inches of rain could fall around ruidoso and rainfall rates could exceed one inch per hour. heavy rainfall rates can help with fire relief but can also cause flash flooding and debris flow over recent burn scars. at least one person has died as two active wildfires continue to burn in new mexico, officials said. new mexico department of homeland security and emergency management & fire marshal’s office told cnn they received reports of one fatality. at this time, officials have no other information. the post fire in southern california is keeping within the containment lines as firefighters reinforce the boundaries, but there is still some difficulty getting into some areas, officials with cal fire said in a video update tuesday. crews made some progress reining in the fire by tuesday afternoon. the blaze has burned through 15,690 acres and went from 20% to 31% containment throughout the day, according to cal fire data. there has been no progression on the eastern side of the fire close to interstate 5, and crews continue to work in the area to make sure nothing flares up, said cal fire operations section chief landon hack. the southern area of the fire near pyramid lake is difficult to access due to steep terrain, and crews are trying different methods like crossing the lake or flying in to get access to these areas, said operations section chief trainee kristian litz. crews are spending a lot of time in forest and wilderness areas trying to keep that intact, he said. cal fire captain marco rodriguez told cnn earlier that the fire may get worse with the expected weekend heat. cnn’s laura studley contributed to the report. the post was updated with the latest details on the percentage of the fire that is contained. as flames from the south fork fire consumed the landscape of alto, new mexico   around 8 miles north of ruidoso   on monday night, a 66 year old man tried to quell hot spots near his vacation home for over four hours. the man, who did not want to be named, said he strung together 300 foot hoses to spray areas around his and his next door neighbors’ houses and was able to keep them safe at the time. “the fire had come through already. however, as the wind blows and those hotspots continue, they blow hot ash and sparks so that was still continuing and so i tried to clear 60 to 70 yards of each house,” he told cnn. “the explosions were incredible… the audible noises. i was in there for that long and not one person came up and down that road.” his videos from that night show the eagle creek canyon on fire and a nearby house and ski shop engulfed in flames. he evacuated the area at around 3:30 a.m. tuesday when the water finally ran out and he couldn’t put out any more hot spots. now, he fears his house could be damaged as the winds and fires continue. at least two people have been injured during the active wildfires in new mexico, gov. michelle lujan grisham said during a tuesday press conference. she said they were treated and their injuries were non life threatening. on monday evening, firefighters and first responders successfully evacuated seven patients from a local hospital in ruidoso and 17 residents from an assisted living facility, according to the governor. that’s in addition to the roughly 5,000 residents in evacuation zones, she added. many communities near the fires in lincoln county experienced loss of power and cell service yesterday, but grisham said most of that has since been restored. laura mccarthy, a state forester at the new mexico forestry division, expressed concern over the change in weather conditions. “the wind is in the process of shifting. since the fire started, it had been a steady southwest wind and now we’re seeing a shift with the wind coming from the west,” mccarthy said. “there is potential with this wind coming in from the west to have additional homes impacted.” at least 500 structures have already been damaged by the wildfires, according to grisham. mccarthy said the weather shift is due to a back door cold front that could also bring moisture into the area by thursday. “it’s both bad news and good news. it also means that this fire is going to be dynamic,” she said. high temperatures around the midwest, great lakes and into the northeast were largely in the low 90s on tuesday   10 to 15 degrees warmer than usual for mid june. a few locations from ohio to new hampshire set daily records. here’s a look at some of them: the heat will continue on wednesday and temperatures will even tick up a few degrees in spots, especially in new england. more than 20 daily records could be broken, from detroit and cleveland to caribou, maine. caribou is expected to reach 96 degrees which would tie their hottest temperature for any date. they have reached 96 only three times   with the most recent being june 19, 2020. in a strange twist of fate, ruidoso, the picturesque new mexico town now facing two converging wildfires, was a filming location earlier this year for a movie about california’s deadliest blaze. from april 1 to 7, the town played host to production crews for “the lost bus”: a “dramatic thriller” set during 2018’s camp fire, told from the perspective of a heroic bus driver, played by matthew mcconaughey, and a schoolteacher, played by america ferrera, the new mexico film office said on instagram. some background: the camp fire killed 85 people. the blaze also destroyed almost 13,972 homes, 528 businesses and 4,293 other buildings in the two and a half weeks it blazed around the town of paradise. the city of ruidoso downs, new mexico, is under an evacuation order due to the salt fire, according to a post on the city’s facebook page. “ruidoso downs is being moved to go status. the salt fire is making a run towards the city of ruidoso downs. if you are in ruidoso downs, please evacuate immediately. do not try to gather belongings or save your property,” the city said. ruidoso downs is an incorporated community east of the village of ruidoso, the town that was evacuated monday night. it is not immediately clear if this evacuation covers the entire population of the town. cnn has reached out to the city and lincoln county officials. according to the ruidoso downs fire department website, it serves around 3,000 people. as heat advisories go into effect across new york, north america’s largest public transportation agency is bracing for vulnerabilities. officials with the metropolitan transportation authority (mta) announced tuesday they are reducing the speeds of some trains during the prolonged heat. the trains with reduced speeds include railroads, metro north and the long island railroad. railroads are vulnerable to extreme heat, causing tracks to buckle, according to mta construction and development president jamie torres springer. “this is a heat wave that is emblematic of what the future will be like in new york,” torres springer said at a news conference. all buses, subways, and railroad cars are equipped with air conditioning, according to transit officials. the national hurricane center extended the tropical storm warning northward in texas to san luis pass, according to the 5 p.m. advisory on potential tropical cyclone one. a tropical storm warning is in effect for the texas coast from san luis pass, which is south of houston, southward to the mouth of the rio grande and the northeastern coast of mexico south of the mouth of the rio grande to puerto de altamira. the center of the system continues to be large and broad but is expected to consolidate over the next 24 hours, becoming tropical storm alberto. tropical storm force winds will reach the coast well in advance of the center and as the storm pushes onshore wednesday night, the strongest winds and heaviest rain will extend well into texas, despite the center making landfall in mexico. “tropical storm conditions are expected to begin tonight or wednesday along portions of the texas coast south of san luis pass and along portions of the coast of northeastern mexico within the tropical storm warning area,” the nhc said. the system will be slow to intensify because of how large it is. this means rainfall and flooding are likely to be the biggest concerns over the next 48 hours. portions of southern texas and northern mexico are likely to receive 5 to 10 inches of rainfall, with isolated totals up to 15 inches. “this rainfall will likely produce flash and urban flooding along with new and renewed river flooding,” the nhc warned. “mudslides are also possible in areas of higher terrain across northeast mexico.” new mexico’s environmental and weather conditions are making it difficult to fight fires that are raging in the state, the governor said on tuesday. in a state of emergency declaration earlier today, gov. michelle lujan grisham said the south fork and salt wildfires have burned about 20,000 acres and are currently 0% contained. “with the drought, frankly the aridification of the state, as you know jake, the timber here is dry and the fuel for these fires is like nothing we’ve ever seen before,” grisham told cnn’s jake tapper. aridification refers to a change of a region into a drier climate   unlike a drought which could be temporary, according to scientists. the governor said between federal and state resources she has requested, “it’s never enough.” what is more important is the pace at which officials can use the money, she added. “the important thing is to be able to get money out immediately, to stand up shelters, to support the victims of this fire, to support the personnel and to pay for personnel and get them on the line of fire to fight the fire and to prevent it from taking any more structures and homes,” grisham said. she said there is a “long way to go” before the state can accomplish that, but added the biden administration has been quick to respond. the governor also said she expects state officials will have more information about how the fires have affected communities after the federal emergency management agency completes satellite imaging. as a heat wave covers scorches parts of the midwest and northeast this week, don’t forget about your furry friend. the american society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, the royal society for the prevention of cruelty to animals and the british veterinary association recommend taking the following steps to ensure your dog, cat or other pet is safe during hot weather. new york gov. kathy hochul said new york state parks will be free on wednesday and thursday to help residents beat the heat. several beaches and pools are temporarily open ahead of the normal season and sprays and misters are being added to several sites in new york city. “extreme heat can be dangerous for new yorkers, and i’m doing everything i can to help families stay safe and cool this week,” hochul said in a news release. earlier today, the governor noted every region of upstate new york is forecast to be hit with temperatures that feel over 100 degrees   even in areas near the canadian border. summer is just starting in north america, and already an intense “heat dome” is forecast to affect more than half the us population this week. while you can take as many measures as you like to stay cool at home, what about when you go to work? what responsibilities does your employer have to prevent you from suffering a heat related illness? and what can you do if you think those aren’t being met? under the federal law that created the occupational safety and health administration, employers always have a duty to keep your workplace free of known hazards. “this includes protecting workers from heat related hazards,” osha notes on its website. and it applies whether you work outdoors or indoors. while some states have specific laws governing occupational heat exposure, there is no heat specific federal regulation mandating how employers must prevent heat illness in the workplace. but they are expected to “take reasonable action to prevent their employees from illness and death.” nor is there a specific threshold that defines “extreme heat,” although osha said it is working “towards enacting a federal heat standard that encompasses indoor and outdoor workers.” both osha and the national institute for occupational safety and health, which research the prevention of work related illnesses and injury, provide recommendations for employers to follow as they seek to keep workers safe on hot days. these include: the biden administration on tuesday swore in the inaugural members for the american climate corps, a workforce training and service initiative aimed at preparing young americans for jobs in clean energy and climate resilience. the future climate leaders were sworn in in a virtual ceremony as extreme heat roasts the northeast; deadly wildfires spread across the southwest and the first tropical storm of the year takes shape in the gulf of mexico. americorps, the government agency that places americans in service jobs, expects to hire more than 9,000 people into the climate corps by the end of the month. they will work to deploy clean energy, help manage forests to fight wildfires and restore coastal wetlands. the biden administration aims to hire more than 20,000 members in its first year. approximately 350 people die prematurely in new york city each summer due to hot weather conditions, according to new report. the 2024 new york city heat related mortality report, released tuesday, found that every summer on average, there are seven heat stress deaths. this means the person’s death was caused directly by the heat. it also said there is an average of 340 heat exacerbated deaths, meaning the heat aggravated an underlying illness. those at a higher risk for heat related deaths are men, people living below the federal poverty line, with chronic conditions, black new yorkers and those who are more than 60 years old. black new yorkers are more likely to die from heat related deaths than non black new yorkers due to “past and current structural racism that creates economic, health care, housing, energy, and other systems that benefit white people and disadvantage people of color,” the report said. heat stress and heat exacerbated deaths are more likely to happen at home, especially if there is not any air conditioning, according to the report. “nyc summers are getting hotter because of climate change,” the report states, adding the city must “prepare for a hotter future and prevent heat related deaths.” the south fork fire began as a small fire along the south fork rio ruidoso river in new mexico before it exploded as the day and the heat built, according to data provided to cnn by orora technologies, a thermal intelligence company that detects, tracks and forecasts wildfires using satellites. their thermal sensors identified the first “hot spot” indicating a fire just after 1:00 a.m. local time on monday in a rural area about five miles west of ruidoso   near where the south fork rio ruidoso and middle fork rio ruidoso converge. the data shows that the initial hotspot “simmered for a few hours” in the immediate area but as daybreak and the heat arrived, it erupted. from there, the fire quickly spread and split in two fronts: one moved north of ruidoso and the other moved south of the town. orora technologies said heat and low humidity contributed to the fire’s ferocious spread. around 2:00 p.m. local time, a second hotspot was detected south of the main fire. that hotspot also quickly got larger and spread northeast, towards ruidoso. that data suggests that both fires spread so far east, that they essentially cut off all road access to ruidoso. the weather in the area will continue to be hot and conditions are favorable for the fire to spread even more, according to forecasts. orora technologies models indicate that without suppression, the northern fire will head north into angus, and reach capitan in the next 12 hours. the southern cluster is forecasted to move east toward deadhorse hill. the statewide 911 outage in massachusetts has been resolved, the state’s executive office of public safety and security said on social media. the outage was first reported by the executive office of public safety and security at around 2:17 p.m. et. thunderstorms fueled by deep tropical moisture from potential tropical cyclone one are developing off the western gulf coast and have started to bubble up in texas and louisiana. but these storms are just the appetizer for the drenching storms to come. torrential downpours are forecast to unload over much of the texas coast   including houston   after dark tuesday night. these storms will expand in scope to cover much of southern texas on wednesday as another push of robust tropical moisture moves into the state. rainfall rates in wednesday’s worst storms could reach 3 inches per hour at times, according to the weather prediction center. “rates this high will easily overwhelm smaller streams and creek watersheds… thus rapid onset flash flooding is likely across much of southern texas,” the wpc warned tuesday. a level 3 of 4 risk of flooding rainfall is in place wednesday for parts of texas, including houston, san antonio and corpus christi. widespread rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches are likely through wednesday night, with a few reports of up to 15 inches possible. a heatwave in the midwest and northeast is generating record breaking temperatures across dozens of cities. more than 70 million americans are living in extreme heat conditions as of tuesday, according to the national weather service (nws). the heatwave is fueled by an expansive and exceptionally strong heat dome   which traps air in place and bakes it with abundant sunshine for days on end, making each day hotter than the last. meanwhile, fires continue to spread across parts of the west as dry air, hot temperatures and gusty winds impact much of the region. here’s some of the impact across america: power outages: about 16,000 people in pennsylvania are without power tuesday afternoon following a monday night storm, according to poweroutage.us. the outages come as heat index values will push into the low 100s each afternoon this week, making conditions very dangerous for anyone without a reliable way to cool down. emergency services impacted in massachusetts: the emergency 911 system was down in massachusetts, the boston fire department reported. summer break will start a few days early in one massachusetts school district due to the heat and multiple school districts in upstate new york are sending students home early. fires in new mexico and california: five new large fires started yesterday, bringing the nationwide total to 29 large, active fires burning in the us, according to the national interagency fire center. all but one of the fires are in the western us and alaska. california leads the way with 10 large fires and new mexico has four. tropical storm approaching gulf of mexico: the first tropical storm of a predicted hyperactive hurricane season is expected to develop soon. it is forecasted to bring a substantial flood threat to south texas, mexico and central america. tropical storm alberto is expected to form in the gulf of mexico by wednesday, according to the latest forecast from the national hurricane center. as temperatures rise, so does the risk of power outages. home generators can help   but there are also some risks. incorrectly using a generator can lead to dangerous consequences, such as electric shock or electrocution, fire, or carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust, according to the us consumer product and safety commission. if you’re without power and thinking of using a portable generator, here are several tips for doing it safely. install battery operated carbon monoxide alarms: carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced when a fossil fuel   coal, crude oil or natural gas   is burned by furnaces, portable heaters or generators, vehicles, stoves, grills, gas ranges, or fireplaces. depending on a generator’s power capacity, it can emit as much carbon monoxide as a hundred idling cars, according to the maine governor’s office. breathing in too much carbon monoxide can cause symptoms including headache, upset stomach, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain and confusion, according to the us centers for disease control and prevention. depending on how much you inhale and your health status, you could also faint or die. know where to position them: generators are for outdoor use only, far away from any physical structures. the national weather service said you should keep a generator at least 20 feet away from doors, windows and vents, and never run one inside a home or garage, even if doors and windows are open. take care of your fuel: if you need to store fuel, consider how much you can store and for how long, since gasoline or diesel fuel saved for more than a month may need additional chemicals added to remain usable. store fuel in containers approved by the american national standards institute or the occupational safety and health administration in a cool, dry, well ventilated place, away from all potential heat sources. there are a few things you can do to avoid heat related illness. dr. stephanie lareau, an emergency room physician, told cnn some of those actions include: staying hydrated: lareau said this is essential, especially drinking water before you realize you’re thirsty. take breaks from the heat: if you have to be outside, make sure you take some breaks from the heat. acclimate to the high temperatures, especially before you start participating in any extreme outdoor exercise or running marathons. wear sunscreen: when you’re sunburned, you have less of an ability to regulate your body temperature, lareau said. here are some more tips: new mexico gov. michelle lujan grisham declared a state of emergency in lincoln county and the mescalero apache reservation due to the south fork and salt wildfires. the state of emergency authorizes “additional funding and resources to manage this crisis,” she said in a post on x. in the declaration, she said the two fires have burned about 20,000 acres and are currently 0% contained. they have affected 500 structures so far, the declaration added. at least two children have died in hot cars in the us so far this year, according to officials in south carolina and west virginia, highlighting one of the most serious risks from the current heat wave. a 3 year old child was found dead inside a hot car in columbia, south carolina, on may 3, according to the richland county coroner’s office. two weeks later, a 3 month old in west virginia also died after being left in a hot vehicle, according to cnn affiliate kdka tv. the infant appeared to have been left in the car accidentally after a parent had gone to work, and was likely in the car for several hours, police told kdka tv. there are an average of 37 “pediatric vehicular heat stroke deaths” a year in the us, according to noheatstroke.org, a project by jan null, a meteorologist at san jose state university. it doesn’t even take hot temperatures to create deadly heat inside of a vehicle. temperatures inside a vehicle can reach 100 degrees in only 25 minutes when it’s just 73 degrees outside, according to the national weather service. around 270 million people are forecast to experience high temperatures at or above 90 degrees this week. eric moro and his family rushed to flee their home in ruidoso, new mexico, on monday as ash fell from the sky and firefighters sounded sirens urging residents to evacuate. “the sky just turned orange and you can barely breathe. i’m coughing and gagging because of the smoke,” the social worker and father of two told cnn. moro said the evacuation was sudden and his family didn’t have much time to prepare. he said the first evacuation order he received was from firefighters driving through his neighborhood. the family just moved into their home in march. “right now, the fires are probably about 1,200 meters from our home, last i checked. so, we’re pretty high risk of losing our home,” he said. “there’s no going back right now,” moro added. as they drove away, moro said he didn’t know where they would go. first, they stopped at a school that had been converted into a shelter in the nearby village of capitan, but there were no more beds available. pressing on, he said he made it to alamogordo late monday night where mountain view church had opened its doors for those impacted by the wildfires. “we’re just sitting here and even see a bunch of people coming in, chopping up food and dropping off towels … toys and toiletries and just the whole community just coming together, bringing things to the church for these people,” moro said. “it’s nice to see, a bittersweet, you know. we’re losing, we may be losing our homes, but to see all the support and his family, the community come together. it’s just it’s an amazing thing to see.” for now, moro and his family are unsure of what they will do. he said they are considering going to mexico, where they could stay with relatives for at least a week. a deadly days long deluge of tropical rainfall from what’s now potential tropical cyclone one has flooded central america and triggered landslides. rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches (150 to 300 mm) have fallen across southern guatemala in the past week, but much of it is from torrential storms since sunday as potential tropical cyclone one started to take shape. western portions of neighboring el salvador have also been drenched with between 4 and 12 inches (100 to 300 mm) of rain over the same period. at least seven people have died from rain related causes in el salvador since monday, according to the associated press. in tacuba, near the country’s border with guatemala, five people died after they were buried in landslides triggered by heavy rains. juan carlos bidegaín, chief of the country’s civil defense, said two of the victims were minors. two others were killed monday when they lost control of their vehicle in western el salvador. that followed the deaths of one person in a landslide on saturday and another on sunday when a tree fell on his vehicle. the torrential storms have been fueled by robust tropical moisture swirling within the central american gyre: a large, disorganized area of showers and thunderstorms that rotates over central america and its surrounding waters. the gyre is the same phenomenon helping develop potential tropical cyclone one into what’s likely to be the first tropical storm of hurricane season. the system is also expected to impact texas. multiple months’ worth of rain could fall by the end of the week. an additional 12 to 16 inches of rainfall could inundate parts of southern guatemala and el salvador through friday. some parts of el salvador could record up to an additional 20 inches. both countries average about 12 to 14 inches (300 to 350 mm) of rain total in june. the associated press contributed to this report. winds in california are slowly easing up tuesday after roaring across northern and central parts of the state monday and monday night. strong winds caused multiple wildfires in the state to grow considerably overnight, including the sites fire and the aero fire. weather conditions tuesday afternoon are expected to provide some assistance to area firefighters battling for containment. red flag warnings in place in parts of california’s central valley are scheduled to expire early this afternoon as winds ease and relative humidity values tick up. fires can burn unabated as long there is something to burn and dry and windy conditions. favorable firefighting conditions may stick around into thursday, but dry, hot air will return friday and persist through the weekend. the 911 system in massachusetts is down statewide, according to a post on x from the boston fire department. “the current 911 system is down statewide, if you have an emergency and need assistance pull your nearest fire box, or call the boston fire department at 617 343 2880. you can also get assistance by going to your nearest firehouse,” the post reads. the boston police department also said in a social media post that people should contact their local police station directly if they need help. “this could be very temporary and we’re waiting to hear a little later about how long it would last but we thought it was important, particularly with the heat that we’re about to experience, that we give people the opportunity to know what’s going on in regards to the 911 system,” michael cox, the police commissioner and the chief of the boston police department, said at a news conference. why this matters: an extreme heat risk is in place from the great lakes into the northeast this week, according to the national weather service. the heat will reach dangerous levels in boston and other major metropolitan areas like chicago, st. louis, detroit, cleveland, pittsburgh and new york city. extreme heat is by far the deadliest form of severe weather, killing on average twice as many people a year as tornadoes and hurricanes combined. two of the most common heat related conditions are heatstroke and heat exhaustion. strong thunderstorms mixed with dangerous heat could lead to prolonged power outages in some areas of the us this week. not having access to power can impact the ability to keep food and medications cold, see potential danger, maintain a comfortable temperature and stay connected to safety services. the basics: it’s crucial to ensure electric appliances are disconnected to avoid any harm or damage from power surges, according to the federal emergency management agency. it also recommends keeping freezers and refrigerators closed to help maintain cooler temperatures for food preservation. for good measure, turn off the main power breaker in your house and do not use any devices that are wet. use flashlights instead of candles: avoid using candles during a blackout if possible. if you must use them, keep them away from anything that could catch fire and do not leave them unattended, the cdc says. ensure a fire extinguisher is available and those around you know how to use it. check on neighbors and loved ones: when it’s safe, reach out to people around you to make sure they are doing well. those who have medical equipment that require power, like respirators, should be taken to locations with generators or a friend’s or neighbor’s home that hasn’t been impacted. and remember: the elderly and young children are especially vulnerable to extreme weather. an evacuee of new mexico’s fires captured footage of a towering cloud of smoke blocking out the sky as the fire grew explosively on monday. pamela l. bonner was one of the thousands forced to flee their ruidoso, new mexico, homes on monday. bonner shot the videos in this post while fleeing. the smoke was so intense it blotted out the sun, turning it an eerie blood red. bonner made it safely to roswell, new mexico, located about 75 miles east of ruidoso. watch more of bonner’s footage here: videos in this post are courtesy pamela l. bonner/tmx. about 21,000 people in pennsylvania are without power tuesday afternoon following a monday night storm, according to poweroutage.us. the outages come as heat index values will push into the low 100s each afternoon this week, making conditions very dangerous for anyone without a reliable way to cool down. the storm hit the pittsburgh area monday night. a company spokesperson for firstenergy, one of the power companies serving pennsylvania, told cnn they are rapidly restoring power tuesday afternoon. some counties may have restored power as soon as tonight at 11 p.m. et, while other areas may not receive power until later this week, the spokesperson said. duquesne light co., another power company serving the state, has “activated a storm response team” and increased staffing to help restore power, according to their voicemail system. heat wave in the forecast: pittsburgh, pennsylvania, could see six consecutive days above 95 degrees from the heat wave blanketing the northeast and midwest, which would tie the longest stretch of consecutive days above 95 degrees set in 1994, according to cnn reporting. from tuesday through saturday in southwestern pennsylvania, low temperatures each night will struggle to reach 70 degrees. summer break will start a few days early in one massachusetts school district due to the heat and multiple school districts in upstate new york are sending students home earlier in the day. worcester public schools in massachusetts is ending its entire school year early, with the last day of school being today, according to a statement from the superintendent. “because of the age of our buildings, many do not have air conditioning. we regret that we are ending the school year in an abrupt manner, but we want to ensure our students and staff are safe in what are predicted to be unusually hot temperatures,” rachel monárrez wrote in the statement. other school districts in upstate new york are implementing half days and early dismissals because of the weather. the syracuse city school district implemented half days this week at its elementary, middle and pre k through 8 schools due to the “impending forecast that includes extremely high temperatures,” the district wrote in a statement. high schoolers will follow the normal planned schedule since all high schools in the district have access to air conditioned environments. rochester city school district also implementing its early dismissal schedule for students in grades pre k through 8 and canceled all after school activities, according to a statement on the school district’s website. more than 70 million americans are living in extreme heat conditions today, according to the national weather service (nws). the nws urged americans to check in on those who are vulnerable to the heat, including young children and infants, older adults, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women. officials in maine are telling people across the state to be aware and cautious ahead of extreme heat that will bring temperatures into the 90s in most locations through thursday. the maine emergency management agency (mema) said in a statement monday that the heat index is expected to rise above 95 degrees for many areas throughout the state and could reach the low 100s on wednesday and thursday. “everyone needs to have a plan for keeping cool this week,” mema director pete rogers said. “limit outdoor activities and take breaks. if you are outside, seek shade or shelter whenever possible and stay hydrated.” officials recommend using home air conditioning or going to a public place with air conditioning, such as a cooling center. the state opened multiple cooling centers in piscataquis, cumberland, oxford and york counties on tuesday. many of them will stay open through friday. around 500 structures have been affected by the south fork fire near the village of ruidoso, new mexico, according to the local government. “currently fire behavior is creeping, but a concern today is increased winds that could push the fire further to the east and the northeast,” the government announced on facebook. the village says 13,921 acres have burned in the wildfire, which still has 0% containment. it was discovered on mescalero apache tribal land and us forest service land monday morning. cnn reached out to ruidoso emergency management tuesday for more details on the wildfire damage. these cities are predicted to have the highest temperatures across the us this week. some new yorkers are eligible for free air conditioning units as the state’s governor warned of “significant risk” due to the heat wave sweeping the region. under new york’s home energy assistance program (heap), eligible residents will be provided with an air conditioner or fan up to $800 for a window, portable a/c, or fan or up to $1,000 for an existing wall sleeve unit. one person households with a maximum gross monthly income of $3,035 could be eligible for the program. the maximum income increases with the household size: for example, a household of six could be eligible for the program if it has less than a gross monthly income of $7,706. households receiving supplemental nutrition assistance program (snap) may also be eligible for the program, in addition to households with “a vulnerable member based on their age”   elders over 60 and children under six. the program is federally funded, but overseen by new york’s office of temporary and disability assistance, according to the governor. americans will have to shell out $719 on electricity, on average, to keep their homes cool this summer, according to the national energy assistance directors association. that’s nearly $200 more than they paid in 2019. are you concerned that mounting utility bills will make it difficult for you to use your air conditioner this summer? tell us about it. five new large fires started yesterday, bringing the nationwide total to 29 large, active fires burning in the us, according to the national interagency fire center. all but one of the fires are in the western us and alaska. california leads the way with 10 large fires and new mexico has 4. so far this year, nearly 19,000 wildfires have burned nearly 2,100,000 acres nationwide. this is well more than the 10 year average of acres burned to date, which is around 1,400,000. more active fire conditions are possible today as “dry, southwesterly flow will be strong and gusty over portions of central and eastern new mexico and possibly into western new mexico and southern arizona in the afternoon,” the summary from nifc said. two fires are burning through thousands of acres in southern new mexico: the south fork fire and the salt fire. both grew considerably monday afternoon and night as strong winds fanned the flames. weather observations show wind gusts near the fire peaked at 59 mph in a few spots monday night, but gusts of 25 to 35 mph were widespread. these wind gusts, along with very dry air, allowed fires to quickly grow out of control. dry air and wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph keeps the risk high for fire spread tuesday and could cause further issues for crews fighting the blazes. winds are expected to get even stronger wednesday, with frequent wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph likely. a few gusts to 50 mph are not out of the question. strong winds could lead to erratic fire behavior and further spread. thursday will remain quite breezy, but a pattern change could finally give firefighters somewhat of a helping hand. showers and thunderstorms are possible in southern new mexico each afternoon from thursday through saturday. this increase in moisture will slow down fire spread, but any stray lightning strikes could ignite new fires. the sites fire in colusa county in california grew to 10,000 acres overnight with 0% containment, according to the most recent cal fire incident report. smoke can be seen billowing from a live camera feed as firefighters face challenges of winds from the north and low humidity. “winds always cause challenges and concerns for firefighting,” california department of forestry and fire protection capt. robert foxworthy told cnn monday. “that’s the biggest influencing factor on fire behavior.” separately, the aero fire in northern california has grown to 5,249 acres, according to updated numbers from cal fire. cal fire reports the aero fire is at 20% containment with 3,690 structures threatened. evacuation orders are in place for multiple zones in calaveras county. the post fire in los angeles county remains at 15,611 acres, with 24% containment reached. over 1,600 personnel have been assigned to this fire. cal fire capt. marco rodriguez said that firefighters are facing winds up to 50 to 60 mph. rodriguez told cnn that the fire may get worse with the expected weekend heat. tropical storm alberto is expected to form in the gulf of mexico by wednesday, according to the latest forecast from the national hurricane center. right now, the system is known as potential tropical cyclone one and is located about 350 miles east southeast of la pesca, mexico. the system has yet to form the closed circulation needed to become a tropical cyclone, but its sustained winds are tropical storm force at 40 mph. the system will track slowly to the north this afternoon before taking a gradual turn to the northwest tonight. it will then start tracking west toward mexico’s northeastern coast on wednesday morning ahead of a landfall there wednesday night. the system’s moisture will continue to fuel drenching downpours from texas and louisiana, through eastern mexico and parts of central america through thursday. extreme heat is by far the deadliest form of severe weather, killing on average twice as many people a year as tornadoes and hurricanes combined. two of the most common heat related conditions are heatstroke and heat exhaustion. with heatstroke, the body can’t cool itself. its temperature rises quickly, and its natural cooling mechanism   sweat   fails. a person’s temperature can rise to a dangerous 106 degrees or higher within just 10 or 15 minutes. this can lead to disability or even death. a person who has heatstroke may sweat profusely or not at all. they can become confused or pass out, and they could have a seizure. heat exhaustion happens when the body loses too much water or salt through excessive sweating. that can come with symptoms like nausea, dizziness, irritability, thirst, headache and elevated body with both conditions, emergency help is needed quickly. while waiting for assistance, bystanders can try to cool the person by moving them to the shade and giving them water. new york gov. kathy hochul announced the opening of the state’s emergency operations center tuesday in response to this week’s potential record setting heat in the northeast. the operations center will monitor conditions and share resources with emergency management personnel across the state’s 62 counties, hochul said. “this is a time of significant risk and we’re doing our best to make sure that all lives are protected,” hochul said. the governor noted that every region of upstate new york is forecast to be hit with temperatures that feel over 100 degrees   even in areas near the canadian border. starting tuesday, the state will be issuing ozone alerts in new york city, lower hudson, and western new york regions from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. et as the region experiences a mixture of heat and extreme humidity, which hochul said “could compromise the air quality.” the governor said that pools and beaches will open early starting wednesday on juneteenth, so “families have a safe place to cool off and beat the heat.” new york city and long island will experience the worst of the extreme heat conditions later in the week   on thursday and friday   state commissioner of homeland security and emergency services jackie bray said. the commissioner noted there will be no nighttime relief from the heat, as temperatures are expected to stay up in the high 70s   which means that peoples’ bodies won’t have the chance to cool down, making it a more dangerous heat event for everyone involved. major cities like new york, chicago, washington, dc, and philadelphia will experience scorching temperatures this week, conditions that will feel even hotter than surrounding suburbs, exurbs and rural areas. some urban areas can feel more than 20 degrees warmer than neighborhoods just a few blocks away. that’s because cities suffer from the urban heat island effect: areas with a lot of asphalt, buildings, dark roofs and freeways absorb more of the sun’s heat than areas with parks, rivers and tree lined streets. in the evening, when temperatures are supposed to cool down, urban areas can be as much as 22 degrees warmer than rural areas nearby, because all the absorbed heat is then released back into the city. the effect is worsened by climate change. on average, nights are warming faster than days in most of the united states, the 2018 national climate assessment found. the compounding consequences of urban heat don’t fall equally across communities. recent research has shown black and brown neighborhoods disproportionately suffer from the effects of urban heat compared to their white counterparts. low income residents and communities of color tend to be in areas that lack tree cover, green spaces and access to cooling centers, vivek shandas, a professor of climate adaptation and urban policy at portland state university, previously told cnn. vermonters may more acutely feel the effects of the sweltering heat wave, as the state with the smallest share of homes using air conditioning across the midwest and northeast. sixty seven percent of vermont households use air conditioning equipment as of 2020, according to data from the us energy information administration. only four other states have a lower percentage of households using a/c according to the data: alaska, hawaii, montana and washington. burlington, vermont, is expected to see a high of 91 degrees tuesday, stretching to highs of 95 and 92 degrees on wednesday and thursday, respectively. officials in burlington warned monday of the “extreme heat event” coming to the area, urging people to visit cooling centers. hover over each state to find out what percent of homes use ac: the national hurricane center has named an area of stormy weather churning in the gulf of mexico potential tropical cyclone one. if it’s not a tropical depression, storm or hurricane, what is it? as the name suggests, a “potential tropical cyclone” isn’t quite any of those things, but is expected to be soon, and critically, poses the threat to land within 48 hours. to be considered a tropical cyclone, a system must be fueled by warm waters and have thunderstorms rotating in an unbroken circle around the system’s center, also known as a closed circulation. potential tropical cyclone one is missing a closed circulation, so it can’t be considered a tropical cyclone yet. it’s forecast to become better organized and develop winds around a closed circulation soon. with current sustained wind speeds of 40 mph, potential tropical cyclone one will become tropical storm alberto once that occurs. that’s because the winds around the storm’s center of circulation determine how strong a storm is. a system becomes a tropical depression with sustained wind speeds up to 38 mph, a tropical storm with sustained wind speeds of 39 to 73 mph and a hurricane when it has sustained wind speeds 74 mph or greater. it’s a common, but dangerous misconception: a storm’s forecast cone doesn’t touch an area, so that area is safe. but a storm’s heavy, flooding rain, damaging wind gusts, storm surge and dangerous surf often extend well beyond the boundaries of the cone. this is particularly the case with potential tropical cyclone one, currently churning in the gulf of mexico. potential tropical cyclone one’s center is forecast to made landfall wednesday night along mexico’s northeastern coast, but its winds and heavy rain will be felt in texas and beyond because it is a large and lopsided system with hundreds of miles of sprawling thunderstorms. “regardless of the exact track of the low, we expect this system to have a large area of heavy rains, moderate coastal flooding and tropical storm force winds well north of the center,” the national hurricane center warned tuesday morning. so remember: a storm’s forecast cone doesn’t have anything to do with its threats. the cone only represents where the center of a tropical cyclone is likely to track. the south fork fire near ruidoso, new mexico, exploded in size overnight, according to the local government. the fire has burned 13,921 acres with 0% containment, the village of ruidoso said tuesday morning. that’s more than doubled the acreage of the fire previously announced by the new mexico forestry division. the south fork fire was discovered less than 24 hours ago burning on mescalero apache tribal land. meanwhile, the salt fire, which is also burning on tribal land, has burned more than 2,800 acres. the two fires have forced thousands to evacuate in and around ruidoso. advocacy groups are petitioning federal emergency management agency (fema) to include extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters in the same way they do for hurricanes and other major disasters and emergencies. extreme heat is by far the most deadly kind of weather, killing on average more than twice as many people each year as hurricanes and tornadoes combined, according to data tracked by the national weather service. but as cnn as previously reported, fema’s hands are tied by congress and the stafford act   the federal law that gives fema the power to respond to emergencies and determines what qualifies as one. the 77 page petition, signed by 31 labor unions, public health organizations and environmental organizations, was sent to fema monday proposing an amendment to the stafford act that would add extreme heat and wildfire smoke to the definition of major disasters. “this simple but elegant amendment serves to unlock critical funds for state, tribal, and local governments and communities to manage and mitigate extreme heat and wildfire smoke both natural catastrophes predicted to worsen in duration, frequency, and severity due to the climate emergency,” the petition says. the petition notes that the stafford act can be easily amended as it was just a few years ago to respond to the covid 19 pandemic. around two dozen large wildfires are currently burning in the us, according to the national interagency fire center, all of them in western states. on the other side of the country, a dangerous, long duration heat wave is tightening its grip on the northeast and parts of the midwest. about 270 million people could see temperatures at or above 90 degrees this week. ella nilsen and rob shackelford contributed to this report. human caused climate change has already made heat waves around the world more frequent and intense. scientists who study the role of global warming on weather say that every heat wave today bears the fingerprints of the climate crisis. climate change, driven primarily by humans burning fossil fuels, is worsening global extreme weather in general, but much of that change is related to heat. heat fuels other types of extreme weather by adding moisture to the atmosphere, making events like heavy rainfall and floods, as well as destructive storms, more intense. for every 1 degree celsius by which the planet warms, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases by about 7%. scientists are also able to estimate just how much climate change is playing a role in particular weather events. an analysis from the world weather attribution initiative found that extreme heat waves across parts of the united states and southern europe in july last year would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change. china’s heat wave at the same time was made at least 50 times more likely because of global warming. extreme heat is the deadliest form of weather globally, and it impacts many aspects of life, exacerbating drought and drying up water reservoirs, making wildfires more likely and destructive, disrupting electricity systems and causing agricultural losses. experts warn that the impacts of heat will hit developing nations and poorer members of society more profoundly. “globally, population exposure to heat waves will continue to increase with additional warming, with strong geographical differences in heat related mortality affecting those with the least resources without additional interventions and adaptation,” the world meteorological organization said. an expansive and exceptionally strong heat dome is getting stronger and growing larger over the northeastern us, sending temperatures skyrocketing. a heat dome is a large area of high pressure that parks over an area, traps air and heats it with abundant sunshine for days or weeks at a time. the resulting heat becomes more intense the longer the heat dome lasts. the oven like conditions send daytime temperatures soaring and prevent critical cooling at night. heat related illnesses increase considerably when conditions can’t cool down enough to offer relief for overheated bodies. heat domes also mostly prevent stormy weather from developing and leave the areas trapped underneath it hot and dry. long lasting heat domes like the ones that baked parts of the central and southern us last summer can dry out soil to the point of drought. a tropical storm warning has been issued for coastal texas from port o’connor south to the mouth of the rio grande river. heavy rainfall and moderate coastal flooding are the biggest concerns for texas from potential tropical cyclone one located in the southern gulf of mexico. this system will bring heavy rain, tropical storm force winds, storm surge and high surf to texas and mexico over the next several days. “moderate coastal flooding is likely along much of the texas coast beginning this morning and continuing through midweek,” the national hurricane center warned. “potential tropical cyclone one is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches across northeast mexico into south texas, with maximum totals of 15 inches possible.” potential tropical cyclone one is forecast to become a tropical storm tuesday or early wednesday before approaching the northern coast of mexico on thursday. the first name on the 2024 atlantic hurricane list is alberto. high temperatures affect public health across wide swaths of the united states each summer, causing spikes in emergency room visits and hundreds of heat related deaths. as temperatures rise, cnn is tracking extreme heat conditions and the potential risk for americans each day. to help prepare americans for the dangerous temperatures, the national weather service and the us centers for disease control and prevention this year released a new national forecast predicting heat related risks. it considers the severity and unusualness of forecast heat and its potential duration, while also factoring the likely impact on residents in specific locations based on cdc data for past effects, such as deaths. this map shows the latest forecast: a long lasting and expansive heat wave fueled by an intense heat dome will grip the midwest and northeast with record breaking high temperatures into next week, ushering in the start of summer with this year’s most significant heat event yet. here’s how some different cities and counties across the regions are preparing for the incoming heat. summer is in full swing across much of the central and eastern us as around 270 million americans across the continental us could see temperatures at or above 90 degrees this week, including cities from dallas to boston. the most significant high temperatures are expected across the midwest and the northeast, where a long duration heatwave continues to build across the region. heat alerts spread across 19 midwestern and northeastern states and include over 65 million people. daily records were broken across parts of the midwest on monday, where temperatures reached the mid to upper 90s. this heat will continue for the midwest and spread to the northeast through this week and weekend and could even last into early next week. high temperatures in the upper 90s are expected, with temperatures running up to 25 degrees above average for some. these cities have extreme heat forecasts: these temperatures could cause a rapid onset of drought from the corn belt to the mid atlantic. officials in burlington, vermont, warned monday of the “extreme heat event” coming to the area and the health risk many can experience, urging people to visit cooling centers that will open through friday. “a summer heat wave can be a health risk for many people who do not have access to air conditioning, particularly for older adults, children, un housed people, those with medical conditions, and others in vulnerable, high risk groups,” the city said in a press release. the six cooling centers will open on tuesday and provide air conditioning, water and seating, the city said. and although city offices are closed wednesday in observance of juneteenth, the cooling centers will remain open, but have adjusted hours, the city said. record breaking heat is building from the midwest and great lakes to the northeast this week and could remain into early next week. the duration of this heat wave is notable and potentially the longest experienced in decades for some locations. while some locations across the midwest and great lakes saw their first 90 degree day of the year, heat is expected to ramp up as the week progresses, bringing temperatures well into the 90s. over 260 million people, or roughly 82% of the population could see high temperatures above 90 this week, including cities like boston, new york city, philadelphia, chicago, washington dc, detroit, st. louis, dallas, houston and atlanta. widespread daily high temperatures and a few june records are possible from the ohio valley to the northeast. nearly 200 daily high temperature records could be tied or broken this week. not only are the high temperatures concerning but also the longevity of these high temperatures. the mescalero apache tribe on monday issued evacuation orders for areas of the reservation due to active wildfires burning near ruidoso, new mexico. evacuation orders have been issued for residents in or near the area of snow springs, fence canyon, whitetail, chihuahua well, fantasy lane, summit area and botella road, the tribe said. highway 70 is closed from botella road to highway 244, according to the tribe’s website. “the tribe is receiving reports of multiple additional fires on the reservation. stay away from fire locations. keep clear of emergency vehicles,” according to the tribe website. the south fork fire   burning on mescalero tribal land and the areas surrounding ruidoso, new mexico   is currently estimated at over 5,000 acres and 0% containment, according to an update from the new mexico forestry division. the second active fire, the salt fire, has now burned at least 2,000 acres, according to the division’s spokesperson george ducker. with the fires burning in close proximity to each other, officials have ordered a critical incident management team that will arrive tuesday afternoon, duffy said. duffy said gov. michelle lujan grisham is also sending in the national guard. cnn has reached out to the governor’s office for comment. the bureau of indian affairs is acting as the lead agency and will be contacting fema and other agencies to combat the fire and “ensure we’re not losing any more homes” and that there’s no loss of life, duffy said. an estimated 5,000 residents were ordered to evacuate the area of ruidoso due to the fire. both fires are acting like “a pair of tongs, and ruidoso is in the middle of that pair of tongs.” the national weather service albuquerque released satellite imagery monday of the fires. © 2025 cable news network. a warner bros. discovery company. all rights reserved. cnn sans ™ & © 2016 cable news network.

southern texas is expected to feel the most severe heat threat next week. spring may be short lived in the south, with the first major heat wave of 2024 expected to scorch southern states from texas to florida next week. after a weather year filled with deep freezes, atmospheric rivers and destructive tornadoes across parts of the u.s., weather forecasts for the upcoming season call for blistering heat waves that could impact americans across the country. the long range weather outlook for may 7 through may 11 shows cities from houston to tampa to atlanta will experience much warmer temperatures than normal. numerous daily high temperature records could be broken by the middle and end of next week across the south and southeast, with highs in the 90s. marking the first spike in temperatures across the southern region, the national weather service (nws) is forecasting heat risk levels depending on location that range from level 2, or 'moderate,' to level 4, or 'extreme,' the highest level. southern texas is expected to feel the most severe heat threat next week, where the nws forecasts level 4 extreme heat to begin on tuesday and extend through the end of the week. the nws notes, "this level of rare extreme heat with little to no overnight relief affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration," adding that impacts may be felt in "most health systems, heat sensitive industries and infrastructure." by wednesday of next week, level 2 moderate heat will blanket states from texas, louisiana, florida, and southern georgia and extend up into the carolinas and parts of virginia. moderate heat levels "affect most individuals sensitive to heat, especially those without effective cooling systems and/or adequate hydration," according to the nws, which notes that impacts also are "possible in some health systems and in heat sensitive industries." extreme heat may be an increasingly dangerous reality this summer, following 2023 being the hottest year in recorded history, according to last year report from copernicus, europe’s climate change service. last summer brought unprecedented spans of triple digit temperatures throughout the southern u.s., with el paso, texas, experiencing a record stretch of 44 consecutive days of temperatures at or over 100 degrees fahrenheit in june and july. phoenix, arizona, saw a record shattering stretch of 31 days at 110 degrees or greater, surpassing the previous record of 18 consecutive days. california's death valley national park last year saw 17 consecutive days of temperatures over 120 degrees, from july 14 to july 30, according to the national park service. worldwide, the planet reached its highest average global temperature ever recorded for four days in a row in july. abc news' julia jacobo and melissa griffin contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

the usa's first major heat wave of the summer will overspread the west over the next few days, forecasters said, pushing temperatures to dangerous and even "life threatening" levels across several states, including california, nevada and arizona. by later this week, temperatures in phoenix and las vegas could reach 111 degrees, the national weather service said. many record highs are possible. notorious hot spot death valley, california, could reach 124 degrees by the end of the week, which would be a record warm temperature for this early in the year. in phoenix, where an excessive heat warning was in effect, the national weather service warned that "extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities." little overnight relief will make for dangerous conditions for those without effective cooling or adequate hydration, the weather service said. forecasters and local officials are urging residents to stay in air conditioned areas, drink plenty of fluids and check on neighbors and relatives. "extreme heat is an invisible but dangerous consequence of climate change, and ca's outdoor workers, seniors + children are particularly vulnerable," california's environmental protection agency said in a social media post. to put this early heat in context, the high temperature forecast for las vegas on thursday is 111 degrees, the weather service in las vegas said. that would tie the earliest 111 degree reading in las vegas on record. wildfires ignited in california over the weekend as the heat began to build. hundreds of emergency responders on monday continued battling a 14,000 acre wildfire east of san francisco that has injured two firefighters and triggered evacuations ahead of high temperatures forecast for this week. “the corral fire has become the first 10,000 acre fire this year in california,” said accuweather meteorologist brandon buckingham. “given the heat, dryness, and sunshine this week, there will likely be more fires breaking out that can quickly spread.” the national weather service warned excessive heat will bear down this week across a vast stretch of central california, including the san joaquin valley. the advisory, which will be in effect from 11 a.m. tuesday to 8 p.m. thursday, warns of "dangerous hot conditions." temperatures of 95 to 108 degrees are possible. the coming heat in the western u.s. is partly related to a heat wave that has been scorching mexico the past few weeks, leading to dozens of deaths. the extreme heat in mexico is the result of a strong "heat dome" of high pressure that's slowly nudging its way north into the western u.s. a heat dome is "a bubble of high pressure and warm air that suppresses clouds and rain and diverts the storm track well to the north," weather.com meteorologist jonathan erdman said. "when those happen in the heart of summer, they can lead to extended heat waves near their core." as extreme heat and humidity can challenge the body's ability to cool itself, it is valuable to know the signs of excessive heat exposure and how to treat heat related illnesses. knowing the warning signs for heat stroke and heat exhaustion, and the differences between the two, can help you to protect yourself and those around you, experts say. those at greatest risk of heat illness are people 65 or older or children under 2, plus those living with chronic diseases or mental illness, according to the centers for disease control and prevention. people can prevent heat related illness by drinking water, using air conditioning, limiting outdoor activity, spending time in the shade when outside, and cooling off in a pool or other body of water. contributing: christopher cann and cady stanton, usa today; reuters

perfection! that’s how i would describe the last few days. brief morning clouds to afternoon sunshine, cool mornings in the 50s, then late afternoon temperatures up around 80. just today i was thinking how nice it was; wondering why it’s necessary to jump those temperatures up 20 25 degrees. unfortunately, that’s going to happen during the long “holiday weekend” thursday through sunday. get ready for a scorcher folks! tomorrow will be the last comfortable day for at least a week. hot weather arrives later on the 4th of july (thursday) and really ramps up friday through early next week. after some morning clouds again tomorrow, skies should be sunny or mainly sunny for the following week considering how mild/pleasant this spring and early summer has been, i was hoping maybe we could avoid a big heat wave with 100 degree weather this year. that was probably too optimistic in our warming climate. this stuff has becoming the norm over the past 10 years or so. obviously we have first alert weather days on the way with this event. we use those sparingly to really grab your attention; when weather will impact your life/activities and the numbers we are forecasting for portland. what about records? we have some “low hanging fruit” with respect to daily high temperature records from july 3rd 9th. lots of records “only” in the 90s. all the rest of july sees daily records in the 100s. so we could easily break three of those records, possibly four. last year we hit 96 on independence day, it was a hot one. but that did make for comfortable fireworks viewing at 10pm. more commonly it’s a bit chilly at that time take a look at the 500mb height anomaly animation for the next 10 days. a strong ridge of high pressure is developing just off the west coast right now. it’ll amplify a bit, sit right along the coastline saturday, then shift into the intermountain region next week. notice the warm colors cover the entire western usa for the next 10 days. that means higher than normal heights and warmer (hotter) than normal weather. we don’t have a massive closed high directly over or just north of us like during that june 2021 event. this is a bit more typical...at least typical for late july through the middle of august. with such a strong ridge, the atmosphere turns very warm. we often use 850mb temperatures as a proxy for surface temps (where we live). so in this case we’re following the temperature (in c) up around 5,000′. all models are in great agreement that we’ll reach +23 to +26 friday through sunday over nw oregon. their ensemble averages are in even better agreement: +25 friday and saturday and +23 24 sunday. monday is still up around +20 to +23 (ensemble averages). tuesday i see +18 to +20 among several different models, so it’s possible the heat turns a bit more reasonable by that day. that said, it’s still a heat wave if it’s over 90, so that’s 6 days at/above 90 at that point in portland. now those +25 numbers are really hot, not just the 95 98 degree stuff. that pushes temperatures up into the 100 105 degree range in the i 5 corridor. when we forecast high temperatures during a heatwave, a significant factor is whether we get easterly (offshore) wind flow. during this event we do not see a widespread gusty/breezy east wind. only a bit of a drift maybe thursday and friday mornings in the cascades and possibly western gorge. this tells me we may not fully max out on temperatures vs. what we could see with a +25 850mb temp. if we had significant easterly flow, i would be forecasting 106 108 in this setup. instead i think lower 100s are more likely. looking at the wrf gfs cross section, you see just a bit of easterly flow between 2,000 5,000′ both thursday and friday mornings (circled), but surface wind remains northerly each day in the i 5 corridor. with no easterly wind making it to the beaches (or only briefly those mornings), i think we’ll avoid 90s in the coastal cities. the strong subsidence (subsiding air) underneath the hot upper ridge will squash the marine layer to just 1,000′ or shallower along the coastline. that makes for a very tough high temperatures forecast friday/saturday at the coastline. here’s our best guess: be patient on the roads, i’m sure lots of you will be driving out there! unlike some heatwaves in which we get a big marine push and suddenly we’re back in the 70s and 80s, i think this one will be slow to fade. those 850mb temps only drop into the mid upper teens later next week, so we probably drop into the 80s by the following weekend at the latest. it’s quite possible we have a 7 9 day period at/above 90 degrees in portland; that doesn’t happen often. well, i hate to “blog and run”, but i am heading out on a 10 day vacation to canada and nw washington starting wednesday the 3rd. when i scheduled the time off back in january, i figured i’d be dealing with some showers and cloud cover this time of year. nope! not this year...summer is coming in with a bang. copyright 2024 kptv kpdx. all rights reserved.

an official website of the united states government here's how you know the .gov means it’s official. federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. the site is secure. the https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. june temperatures were above average to record warm across much of the contiguous u.s. arizona and new mexico each had their warmest june on record with 18 additional states ranking among their top 10 warmest junes on record. the alaska statewide june temperature was 52.8°f, 3.6°f above the long term average, ranking sixth warmest in the 100 year period of record for the state. above average temperatures were observed throughout most of the state, with near average temperatures observed across much of the aleutians and south panhandle. for the january june period, the average contiguous u.s. temperature was 50.9°f, 3.4°f above average, ranking second warmest on record for this period. temperatures were above average across nearly all of the contiguous u.s., while record warm temperatures were observed in parts of the northeast, great lakes, southern plains and mid atlantic. new hampshire, vermont, pennsylvania and west virginia each saw their warmest january june period. an additional 24 states had a top five warmest year to date period. no state experienced a top 10 coldest event during this six month period. the alaska january june temperature was 24.6°f, 3.3°f above the long term average, ranking in the warmest third of the historical record for the state. much of the state was warmer than average for this six month period while temperatures were near average across parts of the panhandle. june precipitation for the contiguous u.s. was 2.74 inches, 0.18 inch below average, ranking in the driest third of the historical record. precipitation was below average across much of the southeast, mid atlantic and ohio valley and across portions of the plains and california to the northern rockies. portions of the southeast experienced dry soils, low streamflow and distressed crops in june. virginia had its driest june on record and north carolina had its second driest june. conversely, precipitation was above average across much of the upper midwest and southwest and in portions of the northeast, plains and southern florida. minnesota had its fourth wettest june, while wisconsin had its sixth wettest. alaska’s average monthly precipitation ranked fifth driest in the historical record. much of the state was drier than average for the month of june, while near average precipitation was observed in the north slope region. the january june precipitation total for the contiguous u.s. was 17.36 inches, 2.06 inches above average, ranking 11th wettest in the 130 year record. precipitation was above average across a large portion of the upper midwest, northeast and deep south as well as in pockets across much of the contiguous u.s., with rhode island having its second wettest year to date period on record and minnesota and wisconsin ranking third wettest. conversely, precipitation was below average across parts of the northwest, northern plains, west texas and eastern north carolina during the january june period. the january june precipitation for alaska ranked in the middle third of the 100 year record, with below average precipitation observed across parts of the central interior, cook inlet, northeast interior and south panhandle regions, near average precipitation in the aleutians, northwest gulf, northeast gulf and north panhandle and above average precipitation observed across the remaining climate divisions. four new billion dollar weather and climate disasters were confirmed in june 2024, including two hail events that impacted texas and colorado at the end of april and end of may, respectively, one severe weather event that impacted the central, southern and eastern u.s. in mid may and a tornado outbreak that impacted portions of the central u.s. in mid may. there have been 15 confirmed weather and climate disaster events this year, each with losses exceeding $1 billion. these disasters consisted of 13 severe storm events and two winter storms. the total cost of these events exceeds $37 billion, and they have resulted in at least 106 fatalities. the u.s. has sustained 391 separate weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall damages/costs reached or exceeded $1 billion (including cpi adjustment to 2024). the total cost of these 391 events exceeds $2.755 trillion. the correll fire, which started on june 1 in san joaquin county, ca burned over 14,000 acres. the darlene 3 fire, which started on june 25 in deschutes county, or burned over 3,800 acres, prompted emergency evacuations and left thousands without power. on june 2, an extreme rotating thunderstorm dropped cantaloupe size (>6.25 inches in diameter) hail in the texas panhandle this could be the new state record for largest hail diameter. a series of heat waves brought record breaking temperatures to portions of the u.s. during june: alberto, the first named storm of the 2024 atlantic hurricane season, made landfall in mexico on june 20 as a tropical storm.some texas communities saw nearly three times their june average for rainfall over 48 hours from tropical storm alberto, including the gulf coast area city of rockport, texas, which received 9.97 inches of rain from the storm; its june average is 3.66 inches. similarly, alice, texas, received 6.57 inches of rain nearly triple its june average of 2.32 inches. according to the july 2 u.s. drought monitor report, about 19% of the contiguous u.s. was in drought, up about 6% from the end of may. drought conditions expanded or intensified across most of the southeast, much of the mid atlantic and portions of the ohio valley, tennessee, eastern oklahoma and northern plains this month. drought contracted or was reduced in intensity across much of the southwest, kansas, the panhandle of oklahoma, southern texas and southern florida. above average temperatures are favored to impact areas across the western and southern portions of the u.s. in july, while below average precipitation is likely to occur in the northwest and south central plains. drought is likely to persist in the mid atlantic, southwest, northwest and hawaii. visit the climate prediction center’s official 30 day forecasts and u.s. monthly drought outlook website for more details. significant wildland fire potential for july is above normal across portions of the mid atlantic, west, hawaii and alaska. for additional information on wildland fire potential, visit the national interagency fire center’s one month wildland fire outlook. this monthly summary from noaa’s national centers for environmental information is part of the suite of climate services noaa provides to government, business, academia and the public to support informed decision making. for more detailed climate information, check out our comprehensive june 2024 u.s. climate report scheduled for release on july 12, 2024. for additional information on the statistics provided here, visit the climate at a glance and national maps webpages. january 10, 2025 january 10, 2025 january 10, 2025

official website of the state of california ca.gov resources for california news jun 4, 2024 para leer este comunicado en español, haga clic aquí. what you need to know: with extreme heat expected tuesday through thursday as we enter the summer season, california is working to keep people safe with outreach efforts, safety resources, and state action. sacramento   with a heatwave impacting much of inland california this week, governor gavin newsom today highlighted the state’s continued preparedness and response efforts and urged californians to take steps to protect themselves from extreme heat. beginning today, excessive heat watches and warnings will be in place. according to the national weather service (nws), temperatures in the central valley may reach up to 105 degrees, with death valley national park likely reaching 118 121 degrees. given this extreme weather, the state is entering phase 2 of its extreme temperature response plan, which is triggered by nws predictions of excessive heat activity and moves the state into action to coordinate an all hands response by the state government. extreme heat can be deadly. together, let’s do everything we can to stay safe. the state is taking action to protect and inform communities and californians should take steps now to protect themselves from the heat. stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay connected. governor gavin newsom as the changing climate is making heat waves more intense and frequent, extreme heat kills more americans each year than any other extreme weather events, including wildfires, droughts, and floods. ahead of memorial day weekend, governor newsom announced the launch of ready.ca.gov   a new one stop shop for californians to prepare for emergencies and extreme weather. the new website is part of listos california, which is a state effort that connects communities with in language resources before, during and after emergencies. the governor also visited the california office of emergency services (cal oes) to receive updates on the administration’s preparedness for summer and peak wildfire season. state efforts to prepare californians for the increased temperatures include: cal oes is coordinating with local governments and emergency managers on any regional needs. a current list of local cooling centers open by county can be found here. through listos california, cal oes is deploying in language preparedness messaging to california’s most impacted communities and those who may be most at risk during extreme temperatures, including those 65 years of age or older; individuals with chronic illness, disabilities or who are pregnant. in addition, through the state’s priority populations task force, cal oes convenes over 20 agencies to coordinate state resources, identify and address unmet needs, and ensure comprehensive preparedness and response in support of californians at greatest risk. the california division of occupational safety and health (cal/osha) is also reminding employers to protect workers from heat illness during high temperatures by providing water, rest, shade and training. field inspectors are conducting targeted inspections at worksites where workers are most vulnerable to heat illness including in agriculture and construction. details on heat illness prevention requirements and training materials are available online at 99calor.org. cal/osha’s heat illness prevention standard applies to all outdoor worksites. the government operations agency has coordinated messaging to all state employees on increased temperature preparedness and worked with building managers to reiterate state efficiencies during warmer days. the california natural resources agency and state climate partners are putting actions in motion to increase climate resilience and address longer term impacts of climate change and extreme heat events through the extreme heat action plan to build community resilience. efforts include resources for vulnerable and underserved communities, investments in shading communities through green schoolyards and urban forestry initiatives, and putting nature based solutions to work to cool buildings and infrastructure. the california department of public health (cdph) has created a heat & summer safety toolkit to provide resources and communication tools that can be shared, including the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke. cdph also develops heat guidance for schools, local health jurisdictions, and other community service providers to protect californians, particularly heat vulnerable populations like children, students, older adults, the unhoused, outdoor workers, and those with existing health conditions. stay cool (during the hottest times of the day): stay hydrated: stay connected: stay informed: stay safe outdoors: warm summer weather is causing continued snow melt from winter’s record snowpack, resulting in colder and faster water that continues today. remember to always be safe around the water: news, press releases, public safety, recent news, top story powered by: caweb publishing service © copyright document.write(new date().getfullyear())

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font weight: 400 !important; } [id=main content] .wl_search_cgov_radioline { border: none; font size: 1.5rem; } [id=main content] .wl_search_cgov_radioline a.linklabel { margin: 0 !important; padding: 12px 15px; border bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) !important; color: black !important; } [id=main content] .wl_search_cgov_radioline a.linklabel.current { padding: 12px 15px 12px 11px; border left: 4px solid #0071bc; } [id=main content] .wl_search_cgov_radioline a.linklabel:hover, [id=main content] .wl_search_cgov_radioline a.linklabel.current { background: #f1f1f1 !important; font weight: 400 !important; text decoration: none !important; } .node  unpublished { background: none !important; } /*]]>*/ close on the heels of a record  or near record hot summer for parts of southern california and the u.s. southwest, the first week of september 2024 brought another round of extreme heat to much of the region. daytime high temperatures on september 6, 2024, across much of southern california, nevada, and arizona, were 100 degrees or more (red). cooler temperatures (blue, yellow, and orange) mark higher elevations mountains, buttes, ridges, and the southwest corner of the colorado plateau in arizona. noaa climate.gov image using data from noaa’s real time mesoscale analysis (rtma/utma). starting near the coast around september 4 and then building inland, the heat raised daytime temperatures 10 20 degrees above normal for this time of year. new daytime temperature records were set in locations from palm springs to yuma to phoenix, which hit a high temperature of 116 degrees on september 5, tying the record for the hottest daytime temperature for any day in september. a station in long beach (south of los angeles) hit 109 degrees fahrenheit on september 6 a new daily record that was 25 degrees hotter than normal for that day of the year. overnight low temperatures across much of southern california, nevada, and arizona, were above 80 degrees (yellow, orange) on september 6, 2024. nighttime temperatures above 80 degrees increase the risk of heat related illnesses during heat waves because (in the absence of air conditioning) they don’t give the body a chance to cool off. noaa climate.gov image using data from noaa’s real time mesoscale analysis (rtma/utma). nights did not cool off as much as they usually do, either. in palm springs, phoenix, and tucson, the week ending september 8 brought the city its warmest week long stretch of nighttime temperatures on record for this time of year. [these statistics and others are available from the noaa southeast regional climate center’s climate perspectives tool.] even in a place that’s familiar with extreme heat, the event had serious consequences. three fires burning in the mountains east of los angeles exploded in intensity, billowing smoke and forcing thousands of people to evacuate at short notice, according to news reports. the triple digit heat also drove a spike in emergency room visits for heat related illnesses across california, nevada, and arizona according to data from the centers for disease control (cdc). number of heat related illnesses per every 100,000 er visits in california, nevada, and arizona from september 1 10, 2024. as triple digit heat built across the region, the rate of emergency room visits for heat related illness doubled. noaa climate.gov graphic, based on data from the centers for disease control’s heat and health tracker. the tool is one of many available on heat.gov. this heat wave arrived on the heels of an extremely warm summer for the area. many counties in southern california, nevada, utah, and arizona had their warmest average daytime high temperatures as well as their warmest average overnight low temperatures. including the recent heatwave, phoenix set a new record for the longest streak of consecutive days with temperatures at or above 100 degrees, blowing away the previous record of 76 days which was set in 1993. as a result of global warming, summers are getting hotter across much of the u.s. west, and both the number of heat waves and the length of the heat wave season are increasing, according to the u.s. global change research program. after compiling records of extreme heat for 50 large cities, the experts concluded: heat waves are occurring more often than they used to in major cities across the united states, from an average of two heat waves per year during the 1960s to more than six per year during the 2020s. the average heat wave season across 50 major cities is 49 days longer than it was in the 1960s. of the 50 metropolitan areas in this [study], 46 experienced a statistically significant increase in heat wave frequency between the 1960s and 2020s. the increase in the length of the heat wave season was significant in 44 locations. these bar graphs and maps show changes in the number of heat waves per year (frequency) and the number of days between the first and last heat wave of the year (season length). these data were analyzed from 1961 to 2021 for 50 large u.s. metropolitan areas. the graphs show averages across all 50 metropolitan areas by decade. the size/color of each circle in the maps indicates the rate of change per decade for each city. hatching represents cities where the trend is not statistically significant. graphic by u.s. global change research program and environmental protection agency. extreme heat is dangerous to people, livestock, and natural ecosystems that are important to us economically and culturally. it can have serious economic impacts. even with aggressive efforts to limit heat trapping greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, heat waves will continue to pose a threat in coming decades. that’s why noaa is helping american individuals, communities, and businesses confront this challenge. working with other federal and state partners, noaa is providing online tools and resources that allow us to understand the risks we face and take steps to become more resilient. the agency has also been providing funding for on the ground heat mapping in urban areas, so that communities can identify their city’s hottest spots and take action to cool them off or provide needed cooling centers to protect their most vulnerable citizens. to learn more about any of these initiatives, visit the links below. help us improve our content
june 19, 2024jpeg an area of high pressure lingered in the upper atmosphere over the u.s. midwest and northeast in june 2024. this pushed warm air toward the surface and trapped it there a weather phenomenon meteorologists call a heat dome. heat domes put the brakes on convection and suppress clouds and precipitation. this allows sunlight to reach earth’s surface relatively unhindered and further elevate air temperatures. as a result of the june heat dome, people in the midwest and northeast saw a string of days with sweltering temperatures that tied or broke calendar day records in several states. the map above shows air temperatures across the eastern u.s. on june 19, 2024. the map was produced by combining observations from satellites and other sources with temperatures predicted by a version of nasa’s geos (goddard earth observing system) model, which uses mathematical equations to represent physical processes in the atmosphere. the darkest reds indicate temperatures of more than 93 degrees fahrenheit (34 degrees celsius) at about 6.5 feet (2 meters) above the ground. boston, massachusetts, hit 98°f and hartford, connecticut, reached 97°f on june 19, breaking calendar day records, according to the national weather service. manchester, new hampshire, and scranton, pennsylvania, broke calendar day records the day before. and on june 17, chicago, illinois; pittsburgh, pennsylvania; indianapolis, indiana; milwaukee, wisconsin; cleveland, ohio; syracuse, new york; louisville, kentucky; and fort lauderdale, florida, all tied or broke records. extreme heat doesn’t just make people uncomfortable. it can have serious health consequences, particularly for older people. health tracking data from the center for disease control and prevention shows that the rate of heat related emergency department visits in the midwest and northeast spiked more than fourfold during the june heatwave. in a recent analysis, carr used temperature and climate data archived by nasa and demographic data to identify regions that are at the greatest risk of current and future heat exposure. she found that the northeast and midwest regions, historically home to high shares of older adults, are projected to experience the steepest increases in heat exposure relative to temperatures historically experienced. “older adults who are accustomed to the new england chill may not fully understand the threats an extreme heat wave can pose, and they may underestimate the harm they might suffer from a day in the hot sun,” she said, adding that older homes in these regions tend to have less efficient cooling systems and that nighttime heat can be particularly harmful for those without air conditioning. heat waves like the june event have become more frequent in the united states in recent decades, according to researchers at nasa’s goddard space flight center. using a nasa modeling system called merra 2 (modern era retrospective analysis for research and applications 2) to analyze long term trends, the nasa team calculated that summer heat waves in the u.s. roughly doubled in number between 1980 and 2023, increasing from an average of two to four per month. for many years, climate scientists working with the intergovernmental panel on climate change (ipcc) and nasa have pointed out that the frequency and intensity of heatwaves have increased in recent decades because of the rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.