Janice R. Andrews
Heat-related deaths in July increased to at least 28 in the West on Thursday as a historic heat wave persisted across the United States. Meanwhile, the East Coast recovered from storms and flash flooding and prepared for the return of scorching temperatures after a brief respite.
West Is Devastated by Heat Wave
On Thursday, there were still over 60 million people in nine Western states under heat alerts. On Wednesday, the temperatures in at least seven cities—including Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City—broke or tied their all-time highs. The National Weather Service (NWS) said that several cities were on the verge of setting new records for daily high temperatures on Thursday.
Records of Heat-Related Deaths
According to the Santa Clara County, California, Office of the Medical Examiner-Coroner, during the first ten days of July, there were eighteen heat-related deaths in the county. The county, which includes San Jose, the major city, has seen a run of days in July with highs in the upper 90s and even beyond 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The medical examiner’s office verified in a statement on Wednesday that two people who passed away from exposure to the heat were homeless and that one person was a part of a transitional housing program.
Advocate Shaunn Cartwright of Unhoused Response Group told San Francisco ABC station KGO that “some people are just not going to make it through this.” According to Cartwright, at least six of the 18 people who died in the county’s heat were older than 50. Regarding the homeless population in Santa Clara County, Cartwright stated, “People are just in a state right now – they’re hungry, they’re extremely thirsty, and they’re at a point right now where they just can’t help themselves.” “[Assistance] needs to come to them, they are just so depleted and really on the edge right now.”
In other parts of California, park rangers report that a motorcyclist passed away on Saturday due to heat exhaustion at Death Valley National Park, where temperatures reached 127 degrees. A 58-year-old man in Sacramento passed away on Saturday from heatstroke as the mercury reached 113 degrees.
A 4-month-old child suffered a heat-related emergency on Friday while on a boating trip in Lake Havasu as the temperature reached 120 degrees, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. Two suspected heat-related deaths have also been recorded in Arizona, according to reports from other regions of the West. According to the Phoenix Police Department, a 10-year-old child passed away in Arizona on July 2 after being unwell while hiking with his family in Phoenix’s South Mountain Park and Preserve. The Grand Canyon National Park has had three fatalities in the previous three weeks, including the death of a hiker who was discovered unconscious over the weekend.
Since Governor Tina Kotek issued a statewide emergency on July 5 due to the heat, six probable heat-related deaths have been reported in Oregon. Multnomah County Medical Examiner: Three of the deaths happened in Multnomah County.
Temperatures That Break Records
In the last week, at least 19 cities have recorded higher high temperatures than ever before, including Las Vegas, which on Sunday had its first-ever temperature of 120 degrees. On Wednesday, Las Vegas smashed yet another record when it hit 115 degrees or more for the fifth day in a row. Las Vegas had never had a temperature above 117 degrees until this week, yet in just this one week, the temperature there has risen to or above 117.
By the end of this week, Sin City may also surpass its record of ten days in a row with temperatures of 110 degrees or above. The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts that Las Vegas will reach scorching 118 degrees on Thursday, 115 degrees on Friday, and 112 degrees on Saturday.
For the second day in a row, Salt Lake City might also shatter the record for daily temperatures on Thursday. According to the NWS, the temperature there is predicted to reach 105 degrees on Thursday, exceeding its previous high of 104 degrees on July 11.
A million electricity users in Houston, Texas, have been without power for the fourth day in a row since Hurricane Beryl hit the city. Houston’s high temperature is expected to be 90 degrees on Thursday, along with a 40% chance of rain. According to the NWS, the heat index—which takes humidity into account—will make the temperature in the Houston region seem more like 106 degrees.
East Coast Tornadoes and Flash Floods
Hurricane Beryl’s remnants flooded homes and forced evacuations on Wednesday night, dropping up to six inches of rain from northern New York state to Vermont and New Hampshire.
According to the NWS, at least three tornadoes were recorded in New York state on Wednesday, including an EF-1 twister that had speeds of up to 110 mph close to Buffalo. Wednesday saw the issuance of 41 tornado warnings in New York, matching the state record for the most warnings in a single day.
Several cities in Vermont saw flash flooding as a result of heavy rain from Beryl’s remnants, including Barre and Lyndonville, where numerous highways had to be closed owing to flooding, according to officials.
Even further south, through Saturday, a storm extending from North Carolina to Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic states may drop as much as five inches of rain. Although Wednesday’s severe weather brought some relief from the recent heatwave that has engulfed the East Coast, it will only last for a short while.
The East Coast will see temperatures in the 90s from Boston to Washington, D.C. by Sunday, bringing the heat back. The NWS predicts that temperatures on the East Coast will feel above 100 degrees far into next week when combined with the heat index.
Gearing Up for the Upcoming Wave
The country is starkly reminded of the hazards posed by extreme weather conditions as the East braces for another round of extreme temperatures and severe weather, and the West struggles with record-breaking heat and mounting mortality tolls. To stop more tragedies, authorities in all impacted areas are asking people to take the appropriate safety measures, remain hydrated, find shelter, and check on those who may be vulnerable.
In light of the recent storms and flash flooding in the East, as well as the ongoing heat wave and its devastating effects, it is crucial to be prepared and have community support when dealing with climatic issues.
