The heat is not going anywhere anytime soon, so keep reading to discover how you might feel it this week.
Thousands are still without power in Texas with relief efforts ongoing
Shawn Schulze, CEO of the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region, has been driving around Texas to coordinate relief efforts after Hurricane Beryl. On Sunday, he pulled over in his car to talk to me about what the situation is like on the ground.
A week ago, power outages caused by the hurricane pushed over 2 million Texans into the dark during a record-breaking heat wave, seeing heat indexes above 100 degrees Fahrenheit throughout all of last week.
As of yesterday, utility CenterPoint Energy — which has drawn criticism from many, including Governor Greg Abbott, over its response to the hurricane — had yet to restore power to over 320,000 clients. Schulze, a life-long Houston resident, got his electricity back on Sunday.
Volunteers are even more in need as hospitals in Texas struggle to meet demand. Dr. Owais Durrani told
CNN that hospital crowding in Houston is approaching levels not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. To ameliorate the conditions in Texas, around 600 Red Cross volunteers from across the nation are stationed in Houston, providing thousands of hot meals, ice, and water, beyond helping maintain 16 emergency shelters.
- Looking Ahead: Later this week, an increased chance of rain and thunderstorms might help keep temperatures near average, alleviating some of the intense heat, AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva told me. But the rain might also delay relief and reconstruction efforts in the wake of Beryl. “We’re going to continue to help people until the need stops,” Schulze said.
Cities in California break heat records, while farmers struggle to sustain production
Northern California’s
Stockton and Modesto hit 110 and 108 degrees respectively on Friday, surpassing records set in 1999. Sacramento has also now experienced its highest number of days above 110 degrees in a year. Also last week, temperatures in the Death Valley inched closer to 134 degrees — the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth.
The dry and hot weather has been of particular concern for farmers in the state, which are struggling to meet demand. “The heat is really taking its toll on the people and our crops,” Garrett Patricio, president of Westside Produce in Northern California, told me.
Due to the heat, crops are reaching maturity earlier and work days are being cut short to protect the health of workers, driving up the costs of production.
Unprecedented wildfires with more to come
On Thursday,
The Guardianreported that wildfires in California have already burned five times the average area for this time of year. Communities in Oregon and New Mexico have also burned this summer. On Friday, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency as wildfires continue to scorch through the state.
- Looking Ahead: While monsoon activity will continue in the West, the amount of moisture available in the air will decrease, increasing the risk for thunderstorms that could spark new blazes this week.
Death toll rises
The number of heat-related deaths this summer continues to climb, with most being reported in California and Oregon. In the past week, at least 28 people died,
The Washington Postreported. That number has already grown. On Friday, Oregon announced two more deaths, bringing its number up to 16.
More record-breaking heat heading east
Through Wednesday, the mid-Atlantic and Northeast can expect temperatures up to 12 degrees above the historical average for this time of the year. According to DaSilva, areas near Washington, D.C. and Baltimore might experience temperatures higher than 100 degrees. “Other areas in the Northeast can be in the 90s,” he told me. On Sunday, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu declared a heat emergency in the city until July 17.
In the later portion of the week, DaSilva predicts that
a cold front will bring temperatures in the Northeast closer to — and in some areas even below — average. But, the change to a “cooler and less humid air mass,” might also bring along severe weather such as thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.
Drought conditions to persist in the South
There’s good news and bad news for communities in the Southwest and across the Southeast, which have faced severe dry conditions.
While no drought-busting rains are expected for this week, “pop-up thunderstorms on a daily basis can provide localized benefits through midweek” in the Southeast, DaSilva told me. A potential cold front later this week could increase the chance of rain and further benefit the region’s current conditions.
Arab nations will struggle with heat, poor air quality
Several Arab nations, including Iraq, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, were hit by an
intense heat wave in early July, and extreme temperatures are expected to persist through this week. Amarah in Iraq, for example, might hit 127 degrees on Saturday, and most major cities in the country will see temperatures well above 110 multiple times this week. The weather conditions in the region are even more dangerous due to increased dust activity, causing the air quality to hit unhealthy levels.
Some relief heading toward northern Europe
Poland’s top oil refineries have struggled to hit their production targets due to intense heat,
Bloombergreported. Other countries in the region such as Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, were under heat warnings the past few days, but this week will offer slightly lower temperatures. Highs are expected to be around the low 80s, but some days can see temperatures up to 90 degrees.
