Millions Affected by Extreme Heat Across the U.S.

Approximately 36 million people, or 10% of the U.S. population, are currently under excessive heat warnings due to a heat dome centered over California, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). This extreme weather is largely attributed to climate change, which will continue to drive such heat waves for decades. High temperatures are expected to break daily records in states such as Washington, Oregon, California, northern Arizona, and central Idaho, with some areas experiencing temperatures up to 20 degrees above normal. For example, Redding, California, reached an all-time high of 119°F (48°C) on Saturday.
NWS meteorologist Bryan Jackson stated that the heat wave will likely drift east and persist through early next week. In addition to those under excessive heat warnings, another 36 million people are under heat advisories, and about 1 million are under excessive heat watches, affecting areas like eastern Oregon, northeastern Nevada, and southwestern Idaho.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for urgent action to prevent what he describes as “climate hell.” The Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that each of the past 12 months has been the warmest on record globally in year-on-year comparisons. In response, President Joe Biden’s administration recently proposed the first-ever safety standard aimed at protecting workers and communities from the impacts of extreme heat.