Record-breaking heat wave will send temperatures soaring for days: Live updates | CNN (2024)

The Biden administration on Tuesday swore in the inaugural members for the American Climate Corps, a workforce training and service initiative aimed at preparing young Americans for jobs in clean energy and climate resilience.

The future climate leaders were sworn in in a virtual ceremony as extreme heat roasts the Northeast; deadly wildfires spread across the Southwest and the first tropical storm of the year takes shape in the Gulf of Mexico.

AmeriCorps, the government agency that places Americans in service jobs, expects to hire more than 9,000 people into the climate corps by the end of the month. They will work to deploy clean energy, help manage forests to fight wildfires and restore coastal wetlands.

The Biden administration aims to hire more than 20,000 members in its first year.

Approximately 350 people die prematurely in New York City each summer due to hot weather conditions, according to new report.

The2024 New York City Heat-Related Mortality Report, released Tuesday, found that every summer on average, there are seven heat-stress deaths. This means the person’s death was caused directly by the heat. It also said there is an average of 340 heat-exacerbated deaths, meaning the heat aggravated an underlying illness.

Those at a higher risk for heat-related deaths are men, people living below the federal poverty line, with chronic conditions, Black New Yorkers and those who are more than 60 years old.

Black New Yorkers are more likely to die from heat-related deaths than non-Black New Yorkers due to “past and current structural racism that creates economic, health care, housing, energy, and other systems that benefit White people and disadvantage people of color,” the reportsaid.

Heat-stress and heat-exacerbated deaths are more likely to happen at home, especially if there is not any air conditioning, according to the report.

“NYC summers are getting hotter because of climate change,” the report states,adding the city must “prepare for a hotter future and prevent heat-related deaths.”

The South Fork Fire began as a small fire along the South Fork Rio Ruidoso river in New Mexico before it exploded as the day and the heat built, according to data provided to CNN by Orora Technologies, athermal intelligence company that detects, tracks and forecasts wildfires using satellites.

Their thermal sensors identified the first “hot spot” indicating a fire just after 1:00 a.m. local time on Monday in a rural area about five miles west of Ruidoso — near where the South Fork Rio Ruidoso and Middle Fork Rio Ruidoso converge.

The data shows that the initial hotspot “simmered for a few hours” in the immediate area but as daybreak and the heat arrived,it erupted.From there, the fire quickly spread and split in two fronts: one moved north of Ruidoso and the other moved south of the town.

Orora Technologies said heat and low humidity contributed to the fire’s ferocious spread.

Around 2:00 p.m. local time, a second hotspot wasdetected south of the main fire.That hotspot also quickly got larger and spread northeast, towards Ruidoso.

That data suggests that both fires spread so far east,that they essentially cut off all road access to Ruidoso.

The weather in the area will continue to be hot and conditions are favorable for the fire to spread even more, according to forecasts.Orora Technologies models indicate that without suppression, the northern fire will head north into Angus, and reach Capitan in the next 12 hours.The southern cluster is forecasted to move east toward Deadhorse Hill.

The statewide 911 outage inMassachusettshas been resolved, the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Securitysaid on social media.

The outage was first reported by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Securityat around2:17 p.m. ET.

Thunderstorms fueled by deep tropical moisture from Potential Tropical Cyclone One are developing off the western Gulf Coast and have started to bubble up in Texas and Louisiana.

But these storms are just the appetizer for the drenching storms to come.

Torrential downpours are forecast to unload over much of the Texas coast – including Houston —after dark Tuesday night. These storms will expand in scope to cover much of southern Texas on Wednesday as another push of robust tropical moisture moves into the state.

Rainfall rates in Wednesday’s worst storms could reach 3 inches per hour at times, according to the Weather Prediction Center.

A Level 3 of 4 risk of flooding rainfall is in place Wednesday for parts of Texas, including Houston, San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Widespread rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches are likely through Wednesday night, with a few reports of up to 15 inches possible.

A heatwave in the Midwest and Northeast is generating record-breaking temperatures across dozens of cities.

More than 70 million Americans are living in extreme heat conditions as of Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The heatwave is fueled by an expansive andexceptionally strong heat dome — which traps air in place and bakes it with abundant sunshine for days on end, making each day hotter than the last.

Meanwhile, fires continue to spread across parts of the West as dry air, hot temperatures and gusty winds impact much of the region.

Here’s some of the impact across America:

Power outages: About 16,000 people in Pennsylvania are without power Tuesday afternoon following a Monday night storm, according toPowerOutage.us. The outages come as heat index values will push into the low 100s each afternoon this week, making conditions very dangerous for anyone without a reliable way to cool down.

Emergency services impacted in Massachusetts: The emergency 911 system was down in Massachusetts, the Boston Fire Department reported. Summer break will start a few days early in one Massachusetts school district due to the heat and multiple school districts in upstate New York are sending students home early.

Fires in New Mexico and California: Five new large fires started yesterday, bringing the nationwide total to 29 large, active fires burning in the US,according to the National Interagency Fire Center.All but one of the fires are in the Western US and Alaska.California leads the way with 10 large fires and New Mexico has four.

Tropical storm approaching Gulf of Mexico: The first tropical stormof a predictedhyperactive hurricane seasonis expected to develop soon. It is forecasted to bring a substantial flood threat to South Texas, Mexico and Central America. Tropical Storm Alberto is expected to form in the Gulf of Mexico by Wednesday, according to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center.

As temperatures rise, so does the risk of power outages. Home generators can help — but there are also some risks.

Incorrectly using a generator can lead to dangerous consequences, such as electric shock or electrocution, fire, or carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust, according to theUS Consumer Product and Safety Commission.

If you’re without power and thinking of using a portable generator, here are several tips for doing it safely.

Install battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms: Carbon monoxideis a colorless, odorless gas produced when afossil fuel— coal, crude oil or natural gas — is burned by furnaces, portable heaters or generators, vehicles, stoves, grills, gas ranges, or fireplaces. Depending on a generator’s power capacity, it can emit as much carbon monoxide as a hundred idling cars, according to the Maine governor’s office.

Breathing in too muchcarbon monoxidecan cause symptomsincluding headache, upset stomach, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain and confusion, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Depending on how much you inhale and your health status, you could also faint or die.

Know where to position them: Generators are for outdoor use only, far away from any physical structures. TheNational Weather Servicesaid you should keep a generator at least 20 feet away from doors, windows and vents, and never run one inside a home or garage, even if doors and windows are open.

Take care of your fuel: If you need to store fuel, consider how much you can store and for how long, since gasoline or diesel fuel saved for more than a month may need additional chemicals added to remain usable. Store fuel in containers approved by the American National Standards Institute or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, away from all potential heat sources.

There are a few things you can do to avoid heat-related illness.

Dr. Stephanie Lareau, an emergency room physician, told CNN some of those actions include:

Staying hydrated: Lareau said this is essential, especially drinking water before you realize you’re thirsty.Take breaks from the heat: If you have to be outside, make sure you take some breaks from the heat. Acclimate to the high temperatures, especially before you start participating in any extreme outdoor exercise or running marathons. Wear sunscreen: When you’re sunburned, you have less of an ability to regulate your body temperature, Lareau said.

Here are some more tips:

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New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency in Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation due to the South Fork and Salt wildfires.

The state of emergency authorizes “additional funding and resources to manage this crisis,” she said in a post on X.

In the declaration, she said the two fires have burned about 20,000 acres and are currently 0% contained. They have affected 500 structures so far, the declaration added.

At least two children have died in hot cars in the US so far this year, according to officials in South Carolina and West Virginia, highlighting one of the most serious risks from the current heat wave.

A 3-year-old child was found dead inside a hot car in Columbia, South Carolina, on May 3, according to the Richland County Coroner’s Office.

Two weeks later,a 3-month-old in West Virginia also died after being left in a hot vehicle, according to CNN affiliate KDKA-TV. The infant appeared to have been left in the car accidentally after a parent had gone to work, and was likely in the car for several hours, police told KDKA-TV.

There are an average of37 “pediatric vehicular heat stroke deaths” a yearin the US, accordingto NoHeatStroke.org,a project byJan Null,a meteorologist at San Jose State University.

It doesn’t even take hot temperatures to create deadly heat inside of a vehicle. Temperatures inside a vehicle can reach 100 degrees in only 25 minutes when it’s just 73 degrees outside, according to the National Weather Service.

Around 270 million people are forecast to experience high temperatures at or above 90 degrees this week.

Eric Moro and his family rushed to flee their home in Ruidoso, New Mexico, on Monday as ash fell from the sky andfirefighters sounded sirens urging residents to evacuate.

“The sky just turned orange and you can barely breathe. I’m coughing and gagging because of the smoke,” the social worker and father of two told CNN.

Moro said the evacuation was sudden and his family didn’t have much time to prepare. He said the first evacuation order he received was from firefighters driving through his neighborhood. The family just moved into their home in March.

“Right now, the fires are probably about 1,200 meters from our home, last I checked. So, we’re pretty high risk of losing our home,” he said. “There’s no going back right now,” Moro added.

As they drove away, Moro said he didn’t know where they would go. First, they stopped at a school that had been converted into a shelter in the nearby village of Capitan, but there were no more beds available.Pressing on, he said he made it to Alamogordo late Monday night where Mountain View Church had opened its doors for those impacted by the wildfires.

For now, Moro and his family are unsure of what they will do. He said they are considering going to Mexico, where they could stay with relatives for at least a week.

A deadly days-long deluge of tropical rainfall from what’s now Potential Tropical Cyclone Onehas floodedCentral America and triggered landslides.

Rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches (150 to 300 mm) have fallen across southern Guatemala in the past week, but much of it is from torrential storms since Sundayas Potential Tropical Cyclone One started to take shape.

Western portions of neighboringEl Salvador have also been drenched with between 4 and 12 inches (100 to 300 mm) of rainover the same period.

At least seven people have died from rain-related causes in El Salvador since Monday, according to the Associated Press. In Tacuba, near the country’s border with Guatemala, five people died after they were buried in landslides triggered by heavy rains. Juan Carlos Bidegaín, chief of the country’s civil defense, said two of the victims were minors.

Two others were killed Monday when they lost control of their vehicle in western El Salvador. That followed the deaths of one person in a landslide on Saturday and another on Sunday when a tree fell on his vehicle.

Thetorrential storms have been fueled by robust tropical moisture swirling within the Central American gyre: A large, disorganized area of showers and thunderstorms that rotates over Central America and its surrounding waters.

The gyre is the same phenomenonhelping develop Potential Tropical Cyclone Oneintowhat’s likely to be the first tropical storm of hurricane season.The system is also expected to impact Texas.

Multiple months’ worth of rain could fall by the end of the week. An additional 12 to 16 inches of rainfall could inundate parts of southern Guatemala and El Salvador through Friday. Some parts of El Salvador couldrecord up to an additional 20 inches.

Both countries average about 12 to 14 inches (300 to 350 mm) of rain total in June.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Winds in California are slowly easing up Tuesday after roaring across northern and central parts of the state Monday and Monday night.

Strong winds caused multiple wildfires in the state to grow considerably overnight, including the Sites Fire and the Aero Fire.

Weather conditions Tuesday afternoon are expected to provide some assistance to area firefighters battling for containment.

Red flag warnings in place in parts of California’s Central Valley are scheduled to expire early this afternoon as winds ease and relative humidity values tick up. Fires can burn unabated as long there is something to burn and dry and windy conditions.

Favorable firefighting conditions may stick around into Thursday, but dry, hot air willreturn Friday and persist through the weekend.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announces a statewide 911 outage during a press conference on Tuesday, June 18.

The 911 system in Massachusetts is down statewide,according to a post on X from the Boston Fire Department.

The Boston Police Department also said in a social media post that people should contact their local police station directly if they need help.

Why this matters: An extreme heat risk is in place from the Great Lakes into the Northeast this week, according to theNational Weather Service. The heat will reach dangerous levels in Boston and other major metropolitan areas like Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and New York City.

Extreme heat is by far the deadliest form of severe weather, killing on average twice as many people a year as tornadoes and hurricanes combined. Two of the most common heat-related conditions are heatstroke and heat exhaustion.

Strong thunderstorms mixed with dangerous heat could lead to prolonged power outages in some areas of the US this week.

Not having access to power can impact the ability to keep food and medications cold, see potential danger, maintain a comfortable temperature and stay connected to safety services.

The basics: It’s crucial to ensure electric appliances are disconnected to avoid any harm or damage from power surges,according tothe Federal Emergency Management Agency. It also recommends keeping freezers and refrigerators closed to help maintain cooler temperatures for food preservation. For good measure, turn off the main power breaker in your house and do not use any devices that are wet.

Use flashlights instead of candles: Avoid using candles during a blackout if possible. If you must use them, keep them away from anything that could catch fire and do not leave them unattended, the CDC says. Ensure a fire extinguisher is available and those around you know how to use it.

Check on neighbors and loved ones: When it’s safe, reach out to people around you to make sure they are doing well. Those who have medical equipment that require power, like respirators, should be taken to locations with generators or a friend’s or neighbor’s home that hasn’t been impacted. And remember: The elderly and young children are especially vulnerable to extreme weather.

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An evacuee of New Mexico’s fires captured footage of a towering cloud of smoke blocking out the sky as the fire grew explosively on Monday.

Pamela L. Bonner was one of the thousands forced to flee their Ruidoso, New Mexico, homes on Monday. Bonner shot the videos in this post while fleeing.

The smoke was so intense it blotted out the sun, turning it an eerie blood red.

Bonner made it safely to Roswell, New Mexico, located about 75 miles east of Ruidoso.

Watch more of Bonner’s footage here:

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Videos in this post are courtesy Pamela L. Bonner/TMX.

About 21,000 people in Pennsylvania are without power Tuesday afternoon following a Monday night storm, according toPowerOutage.us.

The outages come as heat index values will push into the low 100s each afternoon this week, making conditions very dangerous for anyone without a reliable way to cool down.

The storm hit the Pittsburgh area Monday night. A company spokesperson for FirstEnergy, one of the power companies serving Pennsylvania, told CNN they are rapidly restoring power Tuesday afternoon.

Some counties may have restored power as soon as tonight at 11 p.m. ET, while other areas may not receive power until later this week, the spokesperson said.

Duquesne Light Co., another power company serving the state, has “activated a storm response team” and increased staffing to help restore power, according to their voicemail system.

Heat wave in the forecast: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, could see six consecutive days above 95 degrees from the heat wave blanketing the Northeast and Midwest, which would tie the longest stretch of consecutive days above 95 degrees set in 1994,according to CNNreporting.

From Tuesday through Saturday in southwestern Pennsylvania, low temperatures each night will struggle to reach 70 degrees.

Summer break will start a few days early in one Massachusetts school district due to the heat and multiple school districts in upstate New York are sending students home earlier in the day.

Worcester Public Schools in Massachusetts is ending its entire school year early, with the last day of school being today,according to a statement from the superintendent.

Other school districts in upstate New York are implementing half days and early dismissals because of the weather.

The Syracuse City School District implemented half days this week at its elementary, middle and pre-K through 8 schools due to the “impending forecast that includes extremely high temperatures,”the district wrote in a statement. High schoolers will follow the normal planned schedule since all high schools in the district have access to air-conditioned environments.

Rochester City School District also implementing its early dismissal schedule for students in grades pre-K through 8 and canceled all after-school activities,according to a statement on the school district’s website.

More than 70 million Americans are living in extreme heat conditions today, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The NWS urged Americans to check in on those who are vulnerable to the heat, including young children and infants, older adults, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women.

Officials in Maine are telling people across the state to be aware and cautious ahead of extreme heat that will bring temperatures into the 90s in most locations through Thursday.

TheMaine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) said in a statement Monday that the heat index is expected to rise above 95 degrees for many areas throughout the state and could reach the low 100s on Wednesday and Thursday.

Officials recommend using home air conditioning or going to a public place with air conditioning, such as acooling center.

The state opened multiple cooling centers in Piscataquis, Cumberland, Oxford and York Counties on Tuesday. Many of them will stay open through Friday.

Around 500 structures have been affected by the South Fork Fire near the village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, according to the local government.

The village says 13,921 acres have burned in the wildfire, which still has 0% containment. It was discovered on Mescalero Apache tribal land and US Forest Service land Monday morning.

CNN reached out to Ruidoso Emergency Management Tuesday for more details on the wildfire damage.

These cities are predicted to have the highest temperatures across the US this week.

Some New Yorkers are eligible for free air conditioning units as the state’s governor warned of “significant risk” due to the heat wave sweeping the region.

Under New York’sHome Energy Assistance Program (HEAP),eligible residents will be provided with an air conditioner or fan up to $800 for a window, portable A/C, or fan or up to $1,000 for an existing wall sleeve unit.

One-person households with a maximum gross monthly income of $3,035 could be eligible for the program. The maximum income increases with the household size: for example, a household of six could be eligible for the program if it has less than a gross monthly income of $7,706.

Households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may also be eligible for the program, in addition to households with “a vulnerable member based on their age” – elders over 60 and children under six.

The program is federally funded, but overseen by New York’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance,according to the governor.

Americans will have to shell out $719 on electricity, on average, to keep their homes cool this summer, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. That’s nearly $200 more than they paid in 2019.

Are you concerned that mounting utility bills will make it difficult for you to use your air conditioner this summer? Tell us about it.

An air tanker drops retardant while battling the Aero Fire in Calaveras County, California, on June 17.

Five new large fires started yesterday, bringing the nationwide total to 29 large, active fires burning in the US,according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

All but one of the fires are in the Western US and Alaska.California leads the way with 10 large fires and New Mexico has 4.

So far this year, nearly 19,000 wildfires have burned nearly 2,100,000 acres nationwide. This is well more than the 10-year average of acres burned to date, which is around 1,400,000.

More active fire conditions are possible today as “dry, southwesterly flow will be strong and gusty over portions of central and eastern New Mexico and possibly into western New Mexico and southern Arizona in the afternoon,” the summary from NIFC said.

Two fires are burning through thousands of acres in southern New Mexico: the South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire. Both grew considerably Monday afternoon and night as strong winds fanned the flames.

Weather observations show wind gusts near the fire peaked at 59 mph in a few spots Monday night, but gusts of 25 to 35 mph were widespread. These wind gusts, along with very dry air, allowed fires to quickly grow out of control.

Dry air and wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph keeps the risk high for fire spread Tuesday and could cause further issues for crews fighting the blazes.

Winds are expected to get even stronger Wednesday, with frequent wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph likely. A few gusts to 50 mph are not out of the question. Strong winds could lead to erratic fire behavior and further spread.

Thursday will remain quite breezy, but a pattern change could finally give firefighters somewhat of a helping hand.

Showers and thunderstorms are possible in southern New Mexico each afternoon from Thursday through Saturday. This increase in moisture will slow down fire spread, but any stray lightning strikes could ignite new fires.

A firefighter battles the Sites fire near Lodoga, California, on June 17.

The Sites Fire in Colusa County in California grew to 10,000 acres overnight with 0% containment, according to themost recent Cal Fireincident report.

Smokecan be seenbillowing from a live camera feed as firefighters face challenges of winds from the northand low humidity.

“Winds always cause challenges and concerns for firefighting,” California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Capt. Robert Foxworthy told CNN Monday. “That’s the biggest influencing factor on fire behavior.”

Separately, the Aero Fire in northern Californiahasgrown to5,249 acres, according toupdated numbersfrom Cal Fire.

Cal Firereportsthe Aero fire is at 20% containment with 3,690 structures threatened. Evacuation orders are in place for multiple zones in Calaveras County.

ThePost Firein Los Angeles Countyremains at 15,611 acres, with24% containmentreached. Over 1,600 personnel have been assigned to this fire.

Cal Fire Capt. Marco Rodriguez said that firefighters are facing winds up to 50 to 60 mph. Rodriguez told CNN that the fire may get worse with the expected weekend heat.

Tropical Storm Alberto is expected to form in the Gulf of Mexico by Wednesday, according to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center.

Right now, the system is known as Potential Tropical Cyclone One and is located about 350 miles east-southeast of La Pesca, Mexico. The system has yet to form the closed circulation needed to become a tropical cyclone, but its sustained winds are tropical storm-force at 40 mph.

The system will track slowly to the north this afternoon before taking a gradual turn to the northwest tonight. It will then start tracking west toward Mexico’s northeastern coaston Wednesday morning ahead of a landfall there Wednesday night.

The system’s moisture will continue to fuel drenching downpours from Texas and Louisiana, through eastern Mexico and parts of Central America through Thursday.

A woman puts an umbrella over a stroller to keep it cool during hot weather in New York on June 18.

Extreme heat is by far the deadliest form of severe weather, killing on averagetwice as many peoplea year as tornadoes and hurricanes combined.

Two of the most common heat-related conditions are heatstroke and heat exhaustion.

Withheatstroke, the body can’t cool itself. Its temperature rises quickly, and its natural cooling mechanism – sweat – fails. A person’s temperature can rise to a dangerous 106 degrees or higher within just 10 or 15 minutes. This can lead to disability or even death.

A person who has heatstroke may sweat profusely or not at all. They can become confused or pass out, and they could have a seizure.

Heat exhaustion happens when the body loses too much water or salt through excessive sweating. That can come with symptoms like nausea, dizziness, irritability, thirst, headache and elevated body

With both conditions, emergency help is needed quickly. While waiting for assistance, bystanders can try to cool the person by moving them to the shade and giving them water.

People pass their time on benches during hot weather in Brooklyn, New York, on June 17.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the opening of the state’s emergency operations center Tuesday in response to this week’s potential record-setting heat in the Northeast.

The operations center will monitor conditions and share resources with emergency management personnel across the state’s 62 counties, Hochul said.

The governor noted that every region of upstate New York is forecast to be hit with temperatures that feel over 100 degrees — even in areas near the Canadian border.

Starting Tuesday, the state will be issuing ozone alerts in New York City, Lower Hudson, and western New York regions from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET as the region experiences a mixture of heat and extreme humidity, which Hochul said “could compromise the air quality.”

The governor said that pools and beaches will open early starting Wednesday on Juneteenth, so “families have a safe place to cool off and beat the heat.”

New York City and Long Island will experience the worst of the extreme heat conditions later in the week — on Thursday and Friday — State Commissioner of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Jackie Bray said.

The commissioner noted there will be no nighttime relief from the heat, as temperatures are expected to stay up in the high 70s — which means that peoples’ bodies won’t have the chance to cool down, making it a more dangerous heat event for everyone involved.

Major cities like New York, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia will experience scorching temperatures this week, conditions that will feel even hotter than surrounding suburbs, exurbs and rural areas.

Some urban areas can feel more than 20 degrees warmer than neighborhoods just a few blocks away.

That’s because cities suffer from theurban heat island effect: Areas with a lot of asphalt, buildings, dark roofs and freeways absorb more of the sun’s heat than areas with parks, rivers and tree-lined streets.

In the evening, when temperatures are supposed to cool down, urban areas can be as much as22 degrees warmerthan rural areas nearby, because all the absorbed heat is then released back into the city. The effect is worsened by climate change. On average, nights are warming faster than days in most of the United States, the2018 National Climate Assessmentfound.

The compounding consequences of urban heat don’t fall equally across communities. Recent research has shown Black and brown neighborhoods disproportionately suffer from the effects of urban heat compared to their White counterparts.

Low-income residents and communities of color tend to be in areas that lack tree cover, green spaces and access to cooling centers, Vivek Shandas, a professor of climate adaptation and urban policy at Portland State University,previously told CNN.

Vermonters may more acutely feel the effects of the sweltering heat wave, as the state with the smallest share of homes using air conditioning across the Midwest and Northeast.

Sixty-seven percent of Vermont households use air-conditioning equipment as of 2020,according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.

Only four other states have a lower percentage of households using A/C according to the data: Alaska, Hawaii, Montana and Washington.

Burlington, Vermont, is expected to see a high of 91 degrees Tuesday, stretching to highs of 95 and 92 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Officials in Burlington warned Monday of the “extreme-heat event” coming to the area, urging people to visit cooling centers.

Hover over each state to find out what percent of homes use AC:

The National Hurricane Center has named an area of stormy weather churning in the Gulf of Mexico Potential Tropical Cyclone One.

If it’s not a tropical depression, storm or hurricane, what is it?

As the name suggests, a “Potential Tropical Cyclone” isn’t quite any of those things, but is expected to be soon, and critically, poses the threat to land within 48 hours.

To be considered a tropical cyclone, a system must be fueled by warm waters and have thunderstorms rotating in an unbroken circle around the system’s center, also known as a closed circulation.

Potential Tropical Cyclone One is missing a closed circulation, so it can’t be considered a tropical cyclone yet. It’s forecast to become better organized and develop winds around a closed circulation soon.

With current sustained wind speeds of 40 mph, Potential Tropical Cyclone One will become Tropical Storm Alberto once that occurs.

That’s because the winds around the storm’s center of circulation determine how strong a storm is. A system becomes a tropical depression with sustained wind speeds up to 38 mph, a tropical storm with sustained wind speeds of 39 to 73 mph and a hurricane when it has sustained wind speeds 74 mph or greater.

It’s a common, but dangerous misconception: A storm’s forecast cone doesn’t touch an area, so that area is safe.

But a storm’s heavy, flooding rain, damaging wind gusts, storm surge and dangerous surf often extend well beyond the boundaries of the cone.

This is particularly the case with Potential Tropical Cyclone One, currently churning in the Gulf of Mexico.

Potential Tropical Cyclone One’s center is forecast to made landfall Wednesday night along Mexico’s northeastern coast, but its winds and heavy rain will be felt in Texas and beyond because it is a large and lopsided system with hundreds of miles of sprawling thunderstorms.

“Regardless of the exact track of the low, we expect this system to have a large area of heavy rains, moderate coastal flooding and tropical-storm-force winds well north of the center,” the National Hurricane Center warned Tuesday morning.

So remember: A storm’s forecast cone doesn’t have anything to do with its threats. The cone only represents where the center of a tropical cyclone is likely to track.

Smoke from theSouthForkFire covers the sun, casting an orange light across the Lincoln National Forest at Cedar Creek, in Ruidoso, New Mexico, on June 17.

The South Fork Fire near Ruidoso, New Mexico, exploded in size overnight, according to the local government. The fire has burned 13,921 acres with 0% containment, the Village of RuidososaidTuesday morning. That’s more than doubled the acreage of the fire previously announced by the New Mexico Forestry Division.

The South Fork Fire wasdiscoveredless than 24 hours ago burning on Mescalero Apache tribal land.

Meanwhile, the Salt Fire, which is also burning on tribal land, has burned more than 2,800 acres. The two fires have forced thousands to evacuate in and around Ruidoso.

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Advocacy groups are petitioningFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)to include extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters in the same way they do for hurricanes and other major disasters and emergencies.

Extreme heat isby far the most deadly kind of weather, killing on averagemore thantwice as many people each yearas hurricanes and tornadoes combined, according to data tracked by the National Weather Service.

But as CNN as previously reported, FEMA’s hands are tied by congress and the Stafford Act — the federal law that gives FEMA the power to respond to emergencies and determines what qualifies as one.

The77-page petition, signed by 31 labor unions, public health organizations and environmental organizations, was sent toFEMAMonday proposing an amendment to the Stafford Act that would add extreme heat and wildfire smoke to the definition of major disasters.

The petition notes that the Stafford Act can be easily amended as it was just a few years ago to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Around two dozen large wildfires are currently burning in the US, according to theNational Interagency Fire Center, all of them in Western states. On the other side of the country, a dangerous, long-duration heat wave is tightening its grip on the Northeast and parts of the Midwest. About 270 million people could see temperatures at or above 90 degrees this week.

Ella Nilsen and Rob Shackelford contributed to this report.

Human-caused climate change has already made heat waves around the world more frequent and intense.

Scientists who study the role of global warming on weather say that every heat wave today bears the fingerprints of the climate crisis.

Climate change, driven primarily by humans burning fossil fuels, is worsening global extreme weather in general, but much of that change is related to heat.Heat fuels other types of extreme weather by adding moisture to the atmosphere, making events likeheavy rainfall and floods, as well asdestructive storms, more intense. For every 1 degree Celsius by which the planet warms, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphereincreases by about 7%.

Scientists are also able to estimate just how much climate change is playing a role in particular weather events.

An analysis from the World Weather Attribution initiative found that extreme heatwaves acrossparts of theUnited States and southern EuropeinJulylast yearwould have been“virtually impossible” without climate change.China’s heat wave at the same time was made at least 50 times more likely because of global warming.

Extreme heat is the deadliest form of weather globally, and it impacts many aspects of life, exacerbating drought anddrying up water reservoirs,making wildfires more likely and destructive, disrupting electricity systems and causing agricultural losses.Experts warn that the impacts of heat will hit developing nations and poorer members of society more profoundly.

“Globally, population exposure to heatwaves will continue to increase with additional warming, with strong geographical differences in heat-related mortality affecting those with the least resources without additional interventions and adaptation,”theWorld Meteorological Organization said.

A heat dome builds over the eastern US.

An expansive and exceptionally strong heat dome is getting stronger and growing larger over the northeastern US, sending temperatures skyrocketing.

A heat dome is a large area of high pressure that parks over an area, traps air and heats it with abundant sunshine for days or weeks at a time. The resulting heat becomes more intense the longer the heat dome lasts.

The oven-like conditions send daytime temperatures soaring and prevent critical cooling at night. Heat-related illnesses increase considerably when conditions can’t cool down enough to offer relief for overheated bodies.

Heat domes also mostly prevent stormy weather from developing and leave the areas trapped underneath it hot and dry. Long-lasting heat domes like the ones that baked parts of the central and southern US last summer can dry out soil to the point of drought.

A tropical storm warning has been issued for coastal Texas from Port O’Connor south to the mouth of the Rio Grande River.

Heavy rainfall and moderate coastal flooding are the biggest concerns for Texas from Potential Tropical Cyclone One located in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

This system will bring heavy rain, tropical storm-force winds, storm surge and high surf to Texas and Mexico over the next several days.

Potential Tropical Cyclone One is forecast to become a tropical storm Tuesday or early Wednesday before approaching the northern coast of Mexico on Thursday. The first name on the 2024 Atlantic hurricane list is Alberto.

High temperatures affect public health across wide swaths of the United States each summer, causing spikes in emergency room visits andhundreds of heat-related deaths. As temperatures rise, CNN is tracking extreme heat conditions and the potential risk for Americans each day.

To help prepare Americans for the dangerous temperatures, the National Weather Service and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this year released a new national forecast predicting heat-related risks.

It considers the severity and unusualness of forecast heat and its potential duration, while also factoring the likely impact on residents in specific locations based on CDC data for past effects, such as deaths.

This map shows the latest forecast:

Along-lasting and expansive heat wavefueled by an intense heat dome will grip the Midwest and Northeast withrecord-breaking high temperaturesinto next week, ushering in the start of summer with this year’s most significant heat event yet.

Here’s how some different cities and counties across the regions are preparing for the incoming heat.

Jeff Nerby, with Arrow-Crete Construction, wipes away the sweat on a hot and humid day while working on a project in North Milwaukee Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on June 17.

Summer is in full swing across much of the Central and Eastern US as around 270 million Americans across the Continental US could see temperatures at or above 90 degrees this week, including cities from Dallas to Boston.

The most significant high temperatures are expected across the Midwest and the Northeast, where a long duration heatwave continues to build across the region.

Heat alerts spread across 19 Midwestern and Northeastern states and include over 65 million people.Daily records were broken across parts of the Midwest on Monday, where temperatures reached the mid to upper 90s.

This heat will continue for the Midwest and spread to the Northeast through this week and weekend and could even last into early next week. High temperatures in the upper 90s are expected, with temperatures running up to 25 degrees above average for some.

These cities have extreme heat forecasts:

These temperatures could cause a rapid onset of drought from the Corn Belt to the Mid-Atlantic.

Officials in Burlington, Vermont, warned Monday of the “extreme-heat event” coming to the area and the health risk many can experience, urging people to visit cooling centers that will open through Friday.

The six cooling centers will open on Tuesday and provide air conditioning, water and seating, the city said.

And although city offices are closed Wednesday in observance of Juneteenth, the cooling centers will remain open, but have adjusted hours, the city said.

Record-breaking heat is building from the Midwest and Great Lakes to the Northeast this week and could remain into early next week. The duration of this heat wave is notable and potentially the longest experienced in decades for some locations.

While some locations across the Midwest and Great Lakes saw their first 90-degree day of the year, heat is expected to ramp up as the week progresses, bringing temperatures well into the 90s.

Widespread daily high temperatures and a few June records are possible from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast. Nearly 200 daily high-temperature records could be tied or broken this week.

Not only are the high temperatures concerning but also the longevity of these high temperatures.

Smoke rises from a wildfire inRuidoso, New Mexico, on June 17.

The Mescalero Apache Tribeon Monday issued evacuation orders for areas of the reservation due to active wildfires burning near Ruidoso, New Mexico.

Evacuation orders have been issued for residents in or near the area of Snow Springs, Fence Canyon, Whitetail, Chihuahua Well, Fantasy Lane, Summit area and Botella Road, the tribe said.

Highway 70 is closed from Botella Road to Highway 244, according to the tribe’s website.

Smoke pluming from theSouthForkFire rises above the tree line as the fire progresses from the Mescalero Apache Reservation to the Lincoln National Forest causing mandatory evacuations in Ruidoso, New Mexico, on June 17.

The South ForkFire — burning on Mescalero Tribal land and the areas surrounding Ruidoso, New Mexico — is currently estimated at over 5,000 acres and 0% containment, according to an update from theNew Mexico Forestry Division.

The second active fire, the Salt Fire, has now burned at least 2,000 acres, according to the division’s spokesperson George Ducker.

With the fires burning in close proximity to each other, officials have ordered a Critical Incident Management Team that will arrive Tuesday afternoon, Duffy said.

Duffy said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is also sending in the National Guard. CNN has reached out to the governor’s office for comment.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is acting as the lead agency and will be contacting FEMA and other agencies to combat the fire and “ensure we’re not losing any more homes” and that there’s no loss of life, Duffy said.

An estimated 5,000 residents were ordered to evacuate the area of Ruidoso due to the fire.

The National Weather Service Albuquerque released satellite imagery Monday of the fires.