Extreme heat wave in US: 100 million Americans asked to stay indoors
Beachgoers sit in the water at Alouette Lake to cool off
As a scorching, probably record-breaking heat wave swept across the central and eastern United States on Monday, more than 100 million Americans were under some type of heat warning or advisory.
After burning parts of the West late last week and over the weekend, the heat has shifted east. Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Denver were among the cities that set new highs.
Through Wednesday, southerly winds were projected to carry hot, humid air into the eastern two-thirds of the country, with temperatures reaching 10 to 30 degrees above normal, forecasts warned.
The National Weather Service in Chicago advised, "Limit intense outside activity and sun exposure!"
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Following heavy thunderstorms and gusts of up to 60 miles per hour, tens of thousands of Chicago residents lost power Monday night. According to ComEd, Chicago's sole power supplier, there were 882 current outages in the metro region as of 10 p.m. ET, affecting about 75,000 people.
Many cities, including Chicago, have announced plans to build cooling centres, with officials beginning to notify people on Monday about where they may get refuge from the heat. According to a news release, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the city expects to open six community service centres, as well as 75 public libraries throughout the city.
After more than 700 people, many of them elderly, died in a 1995 heatwave, the city increased its efforts to respond to heatwaves. Three people died in a senior home facility during a brief heatwave last month, raising questions about the city's ability to respond to extreme heat.
The weather service forecasts daytime temperatures in the Northwest and northern Rockies to be 10-20 degrees below normal.
The meteorological service issued winter storm warnings and advisories for the mountains of northwest Montana, including the Glacier National Park area, where several inches of wet snow were forecast at elevations above 5,000 feet.
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