Record-breaking heatwave shifts east as millions of Americans under heat alerthttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/14/us-heat-wave-moves-eastOver 245 million Americans are expected to experience 90°F (32°C) temperatures early this week, with some as high as 105°F (41°C)
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Dozens of Americans Die in Brutal Heat Wavehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/07/10/heat-wave-us-death-toll/
A brutal heat wave that swept across the United States this week is estimated to have killed at least 28 people, The Washington Post reports, with that figure expected to climb as official investigations into the deaths continue.
So far, this is based solely on preliminary reports from just three states — California, Oregon, and Arizona — according to WaPo. The heat wave also scourged major east coast hubs like New York City, where it got so hot that a swing bridge got stuck open, but the broader extent of heat-related casualties on this side of the country is unclear.
California has accounted for most of the known death toll, with an ongoing heatwave seeing multiple records smashed as temperatures in several cities soared past 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
... As grim as this already sounds, experts stress that we're still not getting the full picture because of the complicated nature of judging whether a death was heat-related. According to WaPo, they often can be misclassified as deaths due to heart failure, so the actual death toll is likely much higher.
In 2023, which was the hottest year ever recorded, the US reached over 2,300 heat-related deaths, the most ever in a single year. That's up from 1,700 deaths the year before.
These deaths have been steadily climbing, WaPo notes. But scientists warn that we could see a catastrophic surge in the death toll as the heat — and the corresponding demand in AC — puts the power grid under stress, too.
One study found that a blackout during a nasty heat wave in Arizona alone could kill over 13,000 people. Shoring up our infrastructure against these threats will be important, but if we're going to wake up people to the threat now, the need to accurately gauge heat deaths shouldn't be overlooked
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Heat wave puts Central Park horse drivers on ice with ‘unusually long’ stretch of work stoppages: ‘It’s killing us’NEW YORK -- New York City is expected to have its third heat wave of the year next week. It could begin Sunday, when temperatures could reach the low and mid 90s. With humidity, the heat index could exceed 105.
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It's Getting So Hot That Medical Choppers Can't Fly to Rescue People Dying From Heathttps://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2024/07/11/as-extreme-heat-bakes-the-west-emergency-helicopters-struggle-to-fly/74369854007/https://futurism.com/the-byte/hot-medical-helicopters-cant-fly-rescue-heatAn ongoing heat wave has gripped the US West Coast, triggering record-breaking temperatures — a terrifying, climate change-driven reality.
Death Valley National Park saw temperatures soar to dangerous levels, leading to the death of a motorcyclist over the weekend.
Adding to the peril, the air is becoming so hot that helicopters are struggling to stay airborne, which is a particularly a dangerous situation given their important role in responding to emergencies in hard-to-reach places. That's because the choppers' blades have less air to push against, affecting their ability to take off and maneuver
As the Washington Post reports, a California helicopter operator had to decline at least two rescue calls over the weekend, including a call related to the motorcyclist in Death Valley, who succumbed to heat exposure and was declared dead at the scene (temperatures rose to a stunning 128 degrees Fahrenheit the day the motorcyclist died.)
"Due to the high temperatures, emergency medical flight helicopters were unable to respond, as they generally cannot fly safely over 120 degrees," a press release by the Death Valley National Park Service reads
... "It’s something that we’re going to have to be more aware of now," Stanford University Hospital’s medical helicopter response team member Douglas Evans added. "I see that things are warming up and I expect it just to get worse."
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Over 500,000 in Texas remain without power a week after Hurricane Beryl during heatwavehttps://poweroutage.us/area/state/texas
