Millions across Southeast remain under heat alerts as dangerous temps grip the area with some relief in sight
Dallas, which reached 105 degrees Monday, could remain at or above 105 through next Tuesday in what would be the city's longest such stretch since 1980.
Dangerous heat lingers across 72 million in the South, with some relief in sight
Parts of the South are finally beginning to see some relief from this week's oppressive heat wave that has baked the region with feels-like temperatures that have reached 115 degrees in some places.
THE TAKEAWAY
- Oppressive heat will slowly begin to ease for some parts of the South heading into the weekend.
- Hottest summer on record for 36 cities from Texas through the Carolinas and Florida.
- More than 72 million people are under Heat Alerts.
Parts of the South are finally beginning to see some relief from this week's oppressive heat wave that has baked the region with feels-like temperatures that have reached 115 degrees in some places. The most intense heat is expected to retreat into the West through the weekend.
Nearly 50 record-high temperatures fell across the South this week, adding to what has been the hottest summer on record for 36 cities from Texas through the Carolinas and Florida, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
EXTREME HEAT SAFETY: HOW TO PREPARE AND STAY COOL DURING A HEAT WAVE
(FOX Weather)
However, relief will be relative Thursday, with triple-digit heat indices still lingering across the Southern Plains to the Southeast coast.
Charleston, South Carolina, which reached a heat index of 109 degrees earlier this week, is forecast to reach 94 degrees Thursday, with a feels-like temperature of 108 degrees.
Over 18 million Americans remain under Extreme Heat Warnings, with more than 72 million under Heat Alerts.
(FOX Weather)
A system bringing cold air from Canada has begun to dive south and is beginning to break up the portion of the heat dome that had expanded into the Southeast.
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Air temperatures are beginning to drop into the mid- and low-90s, while winds from the north will help cut some of the humidity across the South this weekend.
(FOX Weather)
The most oppressive conditions are lingering across the Lower Mississippi Valley and the Southeast coast, where a Level 4 out of 4 extreme HeatRisk remains through Friday, indicating a rare and persistent level of heat stress that poses a serious danger to anyone without adequate cooling or hydration.
Nighttime low temperatures will likely remain in the upper 70s.
While conditions will ease slightly across the South, intense heat is expected to remain through the weekend across parts of Oklahoma, North Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast.
(FOX Weather)
Dallas, which reached 105 degrees Monday, could remain at or above 105 through next Tuesday, in what would be the city's longest such stretch since 1980, the FOX Forecast Center said.
Dozens of record highs have been broken since the week of brutal heat began.
Most notably, Miami reached 100 degrees on Tuesday, now the city's hottest day in 84 years. This marks only the second time in recorded history that Miami has reached triple digits.
Oklahoma City reached 109 degrees for the first time after August 11 since record-keeping began. Prior to Tuesday, the city had only reached that high temperature 21 times in recorded history.
According to NOAA, heat-related illnesses kill more Americans annually than any other type of extreme weather.