More than 100 million people, around a third of Americans, were under extreme heat advisories this weekend, with officials warning conditions could get worse in Arizona, California and Nevada and that record-breaking heat was expected to continue into the new week.
The south-west and parts of the west were the hardest hit with a warning to residents on Sunday to “take the heat seriously and avoid time outdoors” by the National Weather Service which said it was “potentially deadly to anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration”.
In Phoenix, Arizona, the forecast for Sunday was for 118F (47.7C) and it was expected to be the city’s 17th consecutive day of 110F (43.3C) or higher. The record was 18 days, in 1974, which the city seems likely to pass on Tuesday.
According to the Maricopa county health department, there have been 12 heat related deaths in the Phoenix area so far in 2023, with 55 other deaths currently under investigation.
“Record heat continues across the region today and through most of this upcoming week,” said National Weather Service Phoenix on Sunday. Ahead of the weekend, David Hondula, chief heat officer for Phoenix had warned: “This weekend there will be some of the most serious and hot conditions we’ve ever seen.”
Around the parts of the country affected by the heatwaves, concerns have focused on protecting the most vulnerable residents, with increased access to cooling centers in some areas, and efforts to better protect outside workers.
On Tuesday, 18 July, the Miami Dade board of commissioners is scheduled to consider a heat standard ordinance for the county that would mandate water breaks, shade, and rest for outdoor workers. Miami is under an excessive heat warning until 7pm tomorrow, with feel-like temperatures expected today of up to 112F and 108F on 17 July.
In Maryland, the state reported the first heat related death of 2023 on 13 July, a 52 year old man in Cecil county as temperatures in the state hit mid to upper 90s.
As parts of the US faced extreme heat, the north east of the US was hit by flooding, with officials saying on Sunday that a flash flood on a road in Pennsylvania had killed three people with four others, including a baby missing, AP News reported.
On the Sunday politics TV shows, lawmakers and officials faced questions over the heatwave and the climate crisis.
On CNN’s State of the Union, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona was asked about suggestions from other lawmakers that Fema should provide financial assistance to states suffering extreme heatwaves in a similar way to hurricanes, tornadoes or floods.
Kelly said: “I think maybe in some cases … that could be an approach here.”
“We’ve got to continue to work towards reducing the amount of carbon dioxide we’re putting in the atmosphere,” the senator added and described steps being taken to speed the transition to clean energy helped by the IRA climate legislation that was passed last August.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan was asked on CNN about the global response to the climate crisis, and if it was time for the UN to stop allowing China to be categorized as a developing nation when it comes to emissions cuts.
Sullivan said that the US climate envoy John Kerry would make the point during his trip to Beijing that started Sunday that there was “more work for them to do on that front” and that “every country including China has a responsibility to reduce emissions” and China should be encouraged to “take far more dramatic action”.
