Dangerous Heat Waves Spread in the Midwest

Last weekend, a dangerous heat wave spread widely across regions in the U.S. Tens of millions of people across the Midwest and the mid-Atlantic were under heat alerts. The dangerous heat wave continues to move through the region.

The next day, this dangerous heat wave broke about 20 records on Sunday and is expected to break more on Monday. Wyoming and Minnesota also set records for their hot temperatures.

According to the Weather Channel, the city of Mitchell, South Dakota shattered its previous record of 101 degrees Fahrenheit when temperatures climbed to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicago up to Boston could be experiencing heat index values between 100 and 110 degrees.

Meteorologists say that the extreme heat is due to a heat dome – an area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere that traps heat and humidity – sitting over a large portion of the country. When a heat dome becomes stationary, the air within it can become extremely hot, leading to dangerously high temperatures and poor air quality.

The heat shifted into the Midwest and Ohio Valley and then arrived in the Northwest and mid-Atlantic on Sunday, where it will hold for the first half of next week.

The National Weather Service has issued extreme heat warnings, watches, and advisories for large parts of the central and eastern U.S. Some cities in these heat alerts include Chicago, Kanas City, St. Louis, Detroit, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and New York City.

“Where we have people that are in need of those resources — they don’t have AC, maybe their home [is] destroyed, or their AC [is] knocked out from the storm — those locations are getting an uptick of activity,” said Justin Struttmann, a chief operating officer for the city’s public library.

Some people may not like the intense heat, but some just like the hot weather. “Actually, I love the heat. As I’ve gotten older, the cold gets to me more. Kind of like getting a warm hug,” Duane Huey, a local resident, said.

The dangerous heat wave is spreading widely in the U.S. The heat wave might stretch so far that California is expected to experience the dangerous heat wave in the coming days. To be prepared, California should get AC ready in public areas so people who don’t have AC in their homes could at least have a cool place to stay for the day.

References:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/heat-wave-forecast-us-maps-this-week/

https://weather.com/forecast/regional/news/2025-06-23-heat-dome-heat-wave-forecast-northeast-midwest

https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/heat/dangerous-heat-wave-grips-us-record-temperatures-rcna214459