CNN
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The deadly heat wave that is scorching much of the US is set to continue on Sunday, when the regions of the northeast and mid-south are likely to be suffocated by temperatures that feel as hot as 105. degrees.
More than 90 million people across the country have various heat warnings for dangerously high temperatures. Sunday is expected to bring the highest temperatures to the northeast.
“It will feel extremely oppressive from the southern plains eastward, especially in the major metropolitan areas from Washington DC to New York City and Boston,” the National Weather Service says. warned.
At least one person in New York City died Saturday from heat exposure, a spokesman for the city’s medical examiner said. The person also had other medical problems, the spokesperson said. The expectation was high in the city on Saturday 97 degrees.
Other heat-related deaths during this week’s heatwave include a 66-year-old Dallas woman with underlying health conditions, the county official said. And on Wednesday, a 22-year-old hiker died from possible dehydration and exposure after running out of water in a South Dakota national park, local officials said.
Cities such as Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, DC are expected to see heat in the upper 90s, with humidity-boosting conditions as high as triple-digit numbers.
The extreme conditions — which experts note are becoming more common around the world as a result of climate change — have led local officials to issue heat emergencies to free up resources to cope with the heat that millions have endured. Officials are also begging people to exercise extreme caution when spending time outdoors, staying hydrated and keeping an eye on vulnerable communities and neighbors.
On Sunday, heat index readings — what the air feels like — can exceed 100 degrees in some areas due to the stifling humidity, the Weather Prediction Center noted.
Widespread high temperature records are predicted to be equated or broken from the mid-Atlantic to New England (Sunday), with many places expected to reach the upper 90s and heat indices to reach 100 degrees. eclipse,” the forecasting center wrote.
In Philadelphia – where the maximum temperature is expected to be 99 degrees on Sunday – officials extended a heat emergency. Cooling centers, home visits by special teams and improved daytime activities for people who are homeless are available throughout the weekend.
“Very hot weather can make people sick, even healthy adults. During this heat wave, make sure to keep an eye on neighbors and loved ones, especially the elderly,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney wrote on social media.
In Washington, DC, where the mayor declared a heat emergency earlier this week, temperatures are expected to reach 100 degrees on Sunday. The emergency will last at least until Monday morning, leaving shelter and cooling centers available to those who need them, Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged people in her state to use refrigeration centers and monitor particularly vulnerable communities.
“We want everyone to be alert this weekend, watch for signs of heat-related illness and take care of each other,” Hochul said in a press release.
In the US, extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths, and the conditions imposed by climate change have made extreme weather events more deadly and more frequent.
In fact, according to data tracked by the National Weather Service, heat deaths have surpassed by more than 15-to-1 in the past decade.
Part of the problem is that the high humidity, which makes it feel like over 100 degrees in many areas, also makes it harder for the body to cool down.
“Sweat removes 22% of excess body heat by redirecting heat to the evaporation of sweat,” explains CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford. “High humidity means there is more moisture in the air. Because there’s significantly more moisture in the air, it causes sweat to evaporate more slowly, slowing down your body’s natural ability to cool down.
There have been 29 confirmed heat-related deaths in Arizona’s Maricopa County since March, according to the county’s public health department. Last year, there were 16 heat-related deaths in the same period, the health department said. Meanwhile, dozens of other deaths from heat-related causes are being investigated in the province.
According to a report commissioned by the city’s health department last year, New York City has an average of 10 deaths each year from heat stress. The report found that a lack of air conditioning in the home “is still a major risk factor for death from heat stress.”
It is not known if the person who died from the heat on Saturday had access to air conditioning.