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As historical temperatures drag down Europe, with readings of up to 115 degrees in Portugal, it has been just as hot in the United States. Sixty million Americans could experience three-digit temperatures over the next few days, with the Plains reaching highs of 115 degrees and heat index values exceeding 120 degrees.
Dallas and Oklahoma City are expected to reach at least 108 degrees Tuesday afternoon.
Heat warnings and excessive heat warnings cover the Plains, where the combination of a record of challenging heat and tropical humidity will endanger the human body for those who cannot escape the heat. This poses a serious threat to the elderly, the homeless and others who do not have adequate access to refrigerated shelters.
Europe erupts in a record heat wave as thousands flee forest fires
“Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses,” the National Weather Service wrote, “especially for those who work or participate in outdoor activities.”
The heat is concentrated in the southern plains and the south-central United States, but has already managed to deliver a record temperature of 107 degrees on Sunday in Salt Lake City. In Montana, Glasgow experienced one of the 10 hottest days ever recorded at 108 degrees.
An extensive high-pressure ridge known as a heat dome is responsible for high temperatures. It brings clear skies, sunken air and abundant sun. It also deflects lightning current northward into Canada, deflecting major storm systems or inclement weather. This is why heat domes will often engender drought.
Tuesday is likely to be the hottest next week, although highs over the century will remain for the foreseeable future. The city of Oklahoma is expected to reach 109 degrees on Tuesday, the hottest since July 20, 2018. The state capital Sooner has only reached 109 degrees 19 times since 1890.
“We had a day in 2018 when we reached 109,” said Vivek Mahale, a meteorologist with the National Meteorological Service in Norman, Okla. “Tomorrow we will be around 104. [Wednesday]but we will still be 5 to 7 degrees above average for the rest of this week. “
In southwestern Oklahoma, along the HE Bailey Turnpike, the maximum temperature is expected to reach around 112 degrees on Tuesday afternoon. Since July 1912, this has only happened 20 times, making the heat an event about once every five years.
It’s a similar story to Wichita Falls, on the other side of the Red River in north central Texas, where a 112-degree reading is also projected.
Extreme heat, which reaches 110 degrees locally, bleeds further south toward the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, where DFW International Airport tied on Monday for its hottest day. The morning low of 86 degrees and the afternoon high of 109 averaged 97.5 degrees, equaling the record set on August 3, 2011. Those 86 degrees also tied for a warm record low.
Meacham Fort Worth International Airport climbed to 110 degrees on Monday.
Dallas is expected to play 109 again on Tuesday and 108 on Wednesday. So far this month, DFW has already had 14 days at 100 degrees or more.
🌡️Dangerous heat is forecast for Tuesday with temperatures close to record highs. Expected highs range from 106 to 113 ° F.
⚠️Please take a look at these hot safety tips and the signs of a heat stroke; remember that excessive heat can be deadly! #okwx #texomawx pic.twitter.com/16o2UncEaV
– NWS Norman (@NWSNorman) July 18, 2022
In addition to the magnitude of the heat, the duration is equally alarming.
“I would say longevity right now” is more impressive, Mahale said. “The biggest impact for people is the persistence it’s been.”
The heat itself is unusual: between 5 and 10 degrees above average in places like Oklahoma and Kansas and up to 15 degrees warmer than typical in the lone star state. Houston is even expected to reach around 100 degrees every afternoon until at least early next week.
In Austin, highs between 102 and 106 degrees are expected at least until early next week. The same goes for San Antonio, Tulsa and Wichita.
Even more problematic are the night lows, which in many areas will not fall below the mid-1980s. Warm temperatures during the night mainly contribute to heat-related fatalities, as warm nights prevent the body from entering its period of nocturnal cooling. Highs above 100 degrees will also extend across the southwest desert.
The sun is setting over an intense bush fire in Somervell County (SW of DFW). This fire is producing a high pyrocumulus cloud (see its shadow on the east side). Fire releases heat and moisture and when there are unstable weather conditions, these can turn into storms. # Dfwwx #txwx pic.twitter.com/ueHaQsTqxE
– NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) July 19, 2022
In southeast Texas and along the Gulf Coast, dew points near 70, which indicate the amount of tropical humidity in the air, will cause heat rates to approach or exceed 110 degrees. . Further north and west on interstate corridor 35, comparatively less moisture will result in fire weather problems. There are red flag warnings for a wide strip of Texas and Oklahoma, where relative humidity could fall below 25 percent and winds can gust up to 30 mph.
“A red flag warning means a dangerous combination of weather conditions and dry vegetation is expected in 24 hours, encouraging the rapid growth and spread of any forest fire,” the Tulsa National Meteorological Service wrote. Several fires are already burning in the central-southern plains.
These conditions could “contribute to extreme fire behavior,” the Norman Meteorological Service reported. More than half of Texas is experiencing severe or first-rate “exceptional” drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“We haven’t had substantial rainfall in a long time,” Mahale said. “Many of our stations have not had rainfall of at least a quarter of an inch for 30 or 40 days, and have only isolated from widely dispersed storms over the past month. As the vegetation dries, this facilitates the warming the crops. You don’t have a lot of evapotranspiration and things dry out. “