Record heat burns millions across the United States during the first full week of fall meteorology
Summer refuses to wane in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic
Record heat continues in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states even as kids go back to school. FOX Weather tells us when to expect a cooling off period.
The first full week of meteorological fall sees record heat, as more than 200 cities across America flirted with or set new temperature records over the weekend.
More than 71 million Americans are under heat alerts on Tuesday, with 200 million nationwide feeling temperatures above 90 degrees.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic
The first day of school will be short for kids in Philadelphia. The officials announced the early dismissal due to the sweltering heat and the lack of air conditioning. The City of Brotherly Love had a record 96 on Labor Day.
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The city of Baltimore, Maryland, has issued a red heat alert symbol. Washington, D.C., could break the 142-year-old temperature record.
New York has opened refrigeration centers. The city only averages one day in the 90s every September.
There will not be much relief in the rest of the week, as the upper 90s will bake most of the region into Thursday. These temperatures will threaten some of the heat records for the month of September on record.
The heat sticks to the East Coast during the work week.
Fortunately, humidity levels are expected to be checked to save the area from widespread heat alerts of unhealthy temperatures.
The Fox Forecast Center said: “The worst record temperatures will be in Virginia and Maryland, where heat could reach triple digits.” “Most cities across the mid-Atlantic will reach below record high temperatures for the month of September, but the big five cities like Baltimore and D.C. are likely to be.”
But relief is on the way. The cold front, which is currently sweeping the northern plains, is expected to lower temperatures at the end of the week to their seasonal rates.
Southern Plains and Gulf Coast
Record-breaking numbers are raining down across the South and will continue into the weekend. Dubbed the “heat dome of death,” the high-pressure series, which FOX Weather regular contributor Paul Walsh dubbed “The Heat Dome,” is back after a short break from the heat last week. This will inject sweltering heat into the region from Thursday.
Texas continues to sizzle
The sweltering summer heat continues throughout the Southern Plains and Texas. Houston, Dallas and College Station, Texas, still hold the record for the number of days over 100.
So far this year, several cities have recorded more than a month of record days:
- Del Rio, Texas: 42 record hot days
- Corpus Christi, Texas: 32 record hot days
- New Orleans, Louisiana: 33 record hottest days at 13,100+ degrees. The old record was only 5 in 1980. The airport also recently reached 102, tying the record set in 1980.
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 33 record hot days, 10-day longest triple-digit streak. The city set a new average summer temperature record of 87.4 degrees, breaking the old record set in 2011 by more than three degrees.
The temperatures or heat index will be stifling this week. (Fox Weather)
Houston currently trails the triple-digit record of 24 days set in 2011. But 2023 is second with 16 days. On August 22, it only reached 97 degrees, breaking the streak.
Austin has had 47 consecutive days with temperatures over 100 degrees.
ERCOT, the Texas energy supplier, issued a weather forecast through Saturday.
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“In College Station, Texas, this summer alone, over the past three months or so, we’ve seen 59 days where temperatures were 100 degrees or more,” said meteorologist Kiana Lewis. “And we’ve also seen a streak of 50 consecutive days where temperatures have been in the triple digits or higher. We don’t see that really ending anytime soon.”
Midwest
More than 100 cities could reach record levels today, so who will calm down and when?
Record heat continues across much of the country. It could drop more than 100 record lows on Tuesday. One part of the country will get some cold relief in the first half of the week.
School children in Detroit also have an early class on Tuesdays. Minneapolis, across from La Crosse, Wisconsin, is currently under a heat advisory.
But cooling relief is coming. A cold front sweeps in later Tuesday evening, bringing in cooler, cleaner air. However, the battle between hot/wet and cold/dry air masses will result in clear storms, possibly severe on Tuesday and early Wednesday.
Midwest cooling trend. (Fox Weather)
