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Heat wave death toll tops 20 as extreme temps continue to sweep US
USA Today • • nation
Key Points:
- A heat wave in the eastern and central United States has caused over 20 deaths in the past week, with New Jersey reporting 25 heat-related fatalities since July 2, many occurring in homes without air conditioning.
- The extreme heat led to canceled events and hundreds of emergency room visits over the Fourth of July weekend, including numerous heat illness cases at a Pennsylvania event and high patient contacts near the National Mall in Washington, DC.
- Victims' ages range from mid-30s to 80s, and some deaths involved individuals found outdoors or in parked cars, highlighting the widespread impact of the heat.
- The East Coast is expected to see relief as the heat dome weakens, bringing severe thunderstorms and potential flooding, while a new heat dome is forming in the West, forecasted to cause dangerous high temperatures.
- Severe thunderstorm risks extend from Texas to Wisconsin through July 7, posing additional weather hazards amid the ongoing heat wave.
