Intense heatwave to searingly torch central and southern USA this Father’s Day.
The National Weather Service has issued a warning for people in the South and Midwest who plan to celebrate Father's Day outdoors on Sunday, advising them to stay cool due to a significant heat risk, with temperatures hitting high 90s in certain areas.
This severe heatwave won't end there. A massive and exceptionally powerful heat dome will form on Sunday over the East and extend into the Midwest and Great Lakes over the following days, with the heat persisting throughout the week.
Heat domes work by trapping air in a specific area and baking it with constant sunshine for extended periods, making each day hotter than the one before.
Sunday will be a scorcher in the Plains and Midwest, with temperatures reaching the mid- to upper 90s, according to the Weather Prediction Center. People residing in the Great Lakes region can anticipate temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s.
Iowa and Missouri will experience the most adverse effects of Sunday's intense heat, with large sections of both states facing a Level 3 – or major – risk of heat-related consequences.
The National Weather Service office in St. Louis has advised residents to take additional precautions on Sunday, as it is predicted to be their hottest day of the year - with temperatures feeling like 100-105 degrees during the afternoon hours.
The oppressive heat on Sunday will affect states such as Kansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi, according to the weather service. Some smaller pockets of Level 4 – or extreme – heat will be experienced in locations like Atlanta, where Sunday afternoon temperatures could reach 102 degrees.
Millions of people will be at risk of heat-related health issues as the conditions become extreme this week, according to a scale developed by the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heat is the deadliest type of weather in the US, causing twice as many casualties on average each year as hurricanes and tornadoes combined.
Persistent heat could break records this week
Extreme temperatures and excessive heat will penetrate the larger cities of the Midwest and Northeast by the start of the workweek. On Monday, Chicago temperatures could reach 99 degrees with a heat index of 105 degrees, according to forecasters at Chicago's weather service office.
The high temperatures for the Upper Ohio Valley and Great Lakes regions will soar into the mid- and upper 90s on Monday, with the possibility of breaking numerous records, according to the Weather Prediction Center.
The likelihood of record-breaking heat will last across the Ohio Valley and the Northeast through Friday, with some areas experiencing heat indexes of 105 degrees, the Weather Prediction Center said.
A Level 3 heat risk is expected to affect large portions of states including Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio on Monday, according to the weather service. Meanwhile, much of the southern half of Iowa faces an extreme heat risk on Monday.
Weather service forecasters in Des Moines, Iowa, warned of high heat and humidity through Tuesday as temperatures push into the 90s and heat index values approach triple digits.
"Morning lows will be equally impressive, as temperatures remain in the mid- to even upper 70s," the Weather Prediction Center said.
"The combination of heat, humidity, and minimal overnight relief will bring potentially widespread, significant heat-related impacts to anyone without adequate hydration or reliable cooling," according to the center.
In Detroit, where daytime temperatures are expected to hit the high 90s, the city's urban core won't experience much relief after dark, with overnight lows only dipping to the 70s this week, according to weather service forecasters.
The intense heat will continue to move into the eastern and northeastern US by Tuesday.
CNN’s Elisa Raffa contributed to this report.
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This persistent heat could lead to broken temperature records in many cities this week. For instance, Chicago might see temperatures of 99 degrees with a heat index of 105 degrees on Monday.
The extreme temperatures and excessive heat are also expected to affect the urban core of Detroit, with daytime temperatures reaching the high 90s, and overnight lows only dipping into the 70s this week.
