Severe heatwave hits southern United States

More than 50 million Americans are set to endure an intense heatwave this week, stretching from California to Texas and Florida, as the heatwave intensifies across the southern United States.

The National Weather Service has issued warnings of a hot air mass over the southwestern desert states, with parts of Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico experiencing temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

The agency has also issued severe heat warnings for the southern and central regions of California, where temperatures are expected to reach 112 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of Los Angeles County after Tuesday.

In Las Vegas, the Weather Service has cautioned that "heat is the number one weather-related killer," urging people to stay hydrated and "avoid outdoor activities between 10 am and 4 pm."

The agency emphasized that "this level of extreme heat... with little or no relief, will impact anyone without effective cooling or adequate hydration."

These warnings come after record-breaking temperatures were recorded over the past week, based on preliminary data.

Global average temperature reached 17.23 degrees Celsius on July 6th, according to data from the Climate ReAnalyzer website affiliated with the University of Maine, which provides a visual representation of the global average temperature curve for each day of the year since 1979.

Climate scientists warn of the impact of global warming and caution that 2023 is on track to become the hottest year on record.

Record-breaking numbers were observed in Texas, which is currently experiencing what has been described as a "long heat dome" where warm air is trapped in the atmosphere like a heat furnace. El Paso, the border city, broke the record for the most consecutive days with a temperature of 37.7 degrees Celsius, lasting for 24 consecutive days, according to local weather services.

Arizona's heatwave has also become "one of the longest, if not the longest," measured in the city of Phoenix, according to the local branch of the National Weather Service.

Relief organizations in Tucson, located about two hours away from Phoenix, have been distributing ice, water bottles, and other beverages, according to The New York Times.

Drought risk also looms as one of the major hazards in the United States during the summer.

Last week, a man in California's Death Valley died, and authorities stated that it was likely due to the extreme temperatures. The tires of his vehicle were punctured, and the air conditioning stopped working.

Authorities in California are also warning of flash floods as high temperatures cause thick snowpack from last winter's storms in the Sierra Nevada mountains to melt rapidly.

A severe heat warning has also been issued for southern Florida around Miami until Wednesday.

In the northeastern United States, at least one person has died due to heavy rain and ongoing floods on Monday.

Warnings of flooding have been issued for New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Vermont, with the National Weather Service alerting that these floods could be "deadly."

Preliminary data released by the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization on Monday indicated that the first week of July is the hottest week ever recorded.

The organization stated, "The world just experienced the hottest week ever recorded, according to preliminary data," following the influence of climate change and the early stages of the El Niño phenomenon, making last June the hottest month on record.





AFP