Summer hasn’t officially begun, but record-breaking heat is already sweeping parts of the country
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- An estimated 26 million people across the West, Plains, and Southeast are facing extreme heat this weekend, with temperatures reaching up to 108 degrees in some areas, significantly above typical mid-June levels.
- The West Coast is experiencing temperatures 10 to 25 degrees above normal, with heat alerts issued for cities including Bakersfield, Redding, Portland, and Seattle.
- Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding threaten 22 million people from Texas to Kentucky, with risks of nocturnal tornadoes, destructive winds over 75 mph, and large hail expected overnight.
- By Sunday, severe weather will extend to the mid-Atlantic, Appalachians, and Ohio Valley, putting 54 million people at risk of strong winds and hail in cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington.
- This weekend's dangerous weather follows a week of severe storms that caused flood watches for 13 million people and widespread power outages, including 35,000 customers losing power in Kansas on Tuesday.