A significant heat wave is bringing prolonged extreme heat to the Midwest and the East Coast this week, with dangerous conditions forecast to intensify.
The heat began impacting the Midwest on Monday, with heat index values soaring to around 105 degrees Fahrenheit in Minneapolis and exceeding 100 degrees in Chicago. By Tuesday, Chicago is expected to experience feels-like temperatures near 105 degrees, with Indianapolis and Green Bay, Wisconsin, also facing triple-digit heat index values.
Minimal overnight temperature drops are anticipated, increasing the danger associated with the prolonged exposure to high temperatures, especially in urban areas. In response to the extreme heat, Chicago has opened cooling centers across the city, including at community service centers, senior centers, libraries, city colleges, and police districts. Chicago Public Schools have moved all summer programming indoors from Monday through Wednesday.
The extreme heat is projected to shift eastward by Wednesday, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees in Detroit and Washington, D.C. Combined with humidity, this will likely push heat index values into the triple digits across much of the Interstate 95 corridor during the afternoons.
The heat is expected to peak in the Northeast on Thursday, with the heat index potentially reaching approximately 105 degrees.
Extreme heat is recognized as the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 13,000 Americans have died from heat-related causes since 2018.