“It’s (hitting) all the big cities,” said Bob Oravec, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. The prediction for continued excessive heat comes a day after the World Meteorological Organization and the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service declared July 2023 the hottest month on record.
On Thursday, heat and humidity in major cities along the East Coast, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City, created a real feel above 37.8 C. Forecasters expect several records may break Friday with temperatures 5.5C to 8C above average. In New England, communities are bracing for the “dual threats”, as Oravec called them, of extreme heat and flash floods. “You could have really bad heat for a good part of the day and then get a strong thunderstorm that can produce flooding.” Due to the extreme heat, two of the US’ largest power grids are under stress, which could affect Americans’ ability to cool off.
Calling heat extremes “the No. 1 weather-related killer,” responsible for 600 deaths in the US annually, President Biden announced new protections for those most vulnerable to heat deaths, funding to improve weather prediction and grants to help ensure clean drinking water. “Even those who deny we are in a climate crisis can’t deny the impact extreme heat is having on Americans,” he said. Last month was the hottest June on record in the US, dating back to 1850.