A racetrack security guard carries a bag of ice to cool down at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon on Friday. Photo: AP
Source:
https://scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3019462/serious-serious-stuff-officials-warn-extreme-heat United States & Canada
‘This is serious, serious stuff’: officials warn of extreme heat in US as weekend temperatures soar
- Organisers cancelled the New York City Triathlon for the first time, citing ‘severe heat warnings, continued heavy rainfall and thunderstorm watches’
People cool off in a fountain on the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston on Friday. Photo: Reuters
The United States is sweating through a weekend of extremely hot weather, with major cities including New York and Washington bracing for temperatures close to or exceeding 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
Nearly 150 million people across the country are facing hazardous temperatures in a heatwave stretching from the Midwestern plains to the Atlantic coast, the National Weather Service said.
The weather service warned that “dangerously high temperatures and humidity could quickly cause heat stress or heatstroke if precautions are not taken”.
People were urged to stay hydrated, watch out for the sick and the elderly, stay inside as much as possible and not leave children or animals in cars.
The heatwave has already claimed six lives, including four in the eastern state of Maryland, WJZ news reported.
Heat warnings have also been issued for parts of eastern Canada.
New York has opened 500 cooling centres for residents to escape the extreme weather.
A man sleeps in the shade on a street in Philadelphia. Photo: AFP
“Saturday is going to be really, really bad, on through Sunday,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio in a warning to the city. “Don’t go out in the heat if you don’t need to. This is serious, serious stuff.”
Organisers cancelled the New York City Triathlon for the first time since the event started in 2001, citing “severe heat warnings, continued heavy rainfall and thunderstorm watches”.
In Washington, the morning low of 81 degrees was just one degree below the record set in 2015, with “a good chance to hit 100 today for the first time since 2016”, The Washington Post reported.
Temperatures soared earlier this month in Alaska, with the largest city Anchorage hitting an all-time high of 32 degrees Celsius (90 Fahrenheit).