A map from the National Weather Service (NWS) shows the areas most at risk for severe heat impacts this week as meteorologists issue warnings about lethal temperatures in several states.
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Last week, a heat wave scorched the Midwest and Northeast, pushing the heat index into the 90s and 100s in some areas, including in New York City. This week, the heat has shifted to the central United States, focusing over Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. As of Monday morning, NWS meteorologists have issued either heat advisories or excessive heat warnings for 23 states, with heat impacts expected to worsen by Tuesday.
Of the states battling heat on Monday, meteorologists issued specific warnings about children and pet safety for Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and California.
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"Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. Car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes," one NWS office warned. "Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke."
In Oklahoma, heat indexes are expected to soar past 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday. The heat index is expected to worsen throughout the week, peaking at 112 degrees Fahrenheit in Durant, Oklahoma, by Wednesday, according to the forecast.
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NWS meteorologist John Pike told Newsweek that heat advisories and excessive heat warnings are normal during the summertime in the Norman, Oklahoma, forecast region, although the heat index is causing temperatures to feel warmer than normal for this time of year. He said the advisory was in place for Monday and Tuesday, but should be lifted for much of the region by Wednesday.
According to the NWS HeatRisk, a tool used to forecast heat-related impacts over a 24-hour period, the states most at risk for extreme impacts are Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and parts of California and Texas.
"This level of rare and/or long-duration extreme heat with little to no overnight relief affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration," the HeatRisk said. "Impacts likely in most health systems, heat-sensitive industries and infrastructure."
According to the map, the impacts will affect even a more widespread area on Tuesday before the heat slowly begins to dissipate. By Sunday, the most extreme impacts are expected to be felt in the southern states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
Meanwhile, the heat has meteorologists urging people to stay out of the sun and to increase their fluid consumption.
"Heat related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat events," the NWS office in Oxnard, California, said.
More than 700 people are killed by the heat every year in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more
