The eastern half of the U.S. faces a significant heat wave, with more than 185 million people being warned Monday due to a strong and widespread heat condition.
The Southeast may endure the most dangerous temperatures as extreme heat spreads across the region on Monday, from Carolina to Florida. In these areas, the predicted heat index value (how it feels once the humidity takes into account humidity) will be between 105 and 113F (40.5 and 45C).
Some locations in Mississippi and Louisiana face greater threats, with a calorie index that could be as high as 120F (49C).
Meanwhile, the Midwest did not escape the heat. On Monday and Tuesday weekends, the temperature appears to be around 97 to 111F (36 to 44c) weekends, and dangerous conditions are still present here.
Cities such as Des Moines, St. Louis, Memphis, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Raleigh are warned of extreme heat. At these locations, temperatures will rise to mid-90s and 100 seconds lower, while the calorie index may reach 110 to 115F.
On the thermal risk scale, the most dangerous conditions are classified as Level 4, where Level 4 covers most of Florida and extends northward to Georgia and Carolina. The wider level 3 region extends from the eastern plains to the mid-western to the mid-Atlantic Ocean. It's a weekend that's already dominated by extreme temperatures.
Tampa experienced an unprecedented milestone when it reached 100F (37.8C) on Sunday. Other cities have also broken daily temperature records and are expected to follow more.
Dangerous heat and humidity are expected to continue into the middle of the week, affecting major metropolitan areas including St. Louis, Memphis, Charlotte, Savannah, Tampa and Jackson, Mississippi. The actual air temperature will climb to the 90s and 100 seconds lower, while the heat reading of 105 to 115F is expected to be maintained for several days due to high tropical moisture.
Even at night, it is difficult to find relief. It is expected that the temperatures for overnight and early mornings can only be reduced to 70s or higher, making the entire clock uncomfortable.
However, a cold front is expected to cause temperature drops in the eastern U.S. region later this week, by the weekend, much-needed extreme heat.
Elsewhere, triple-digit temperatures will dominate the central U.S. The combination of high temperatures and dense humidity on the Mississippi River valley and the central plains can make conditions particularly dangerous, with some areas likely seeing a heat index of 120F.
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