A dangerous heat wave will persist over portions of the U.S. into early next week, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather service said in a forecast early Monday morning, July 27, a "broad upper ridge centered across central and southern U.S." is expected to produce widespread dangerous heat from the Plains into portions of the Mississippi Valley and Southeast.
Afternoon highs will reach the upper 90s to low 100s with isolated areas within the Desert Southwest seeing up to 115-120," the weather service said in its forecast, adding that record-breaking overnight lows will stay in the 70s.
Forecasters said much of the central/southern Plains, Mississippi Valley and the Southeast will see major to extreme heat risk levels on Monday
as the combination of high temperatures combined with high humidity could lead to heat indices exceeding 105-115 degrees.
Which states will be affected by the heat wave?
Extreme heat warnings are in effect for portions of the following states until Monday evening, according to the National Weather Service:
- Arizona
- California
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Mississippi
- Missouri
Forecasters said the major to extreme heat risk becomes confined to the southern Rockies, southern Plains and the Southeast on Tuesday, the weather service said. Areas northward will see some relief from the heat as thunderstorm chances increase across the central Plains and a cold front drops into the Midwest.
How to stay safe during a heat wave
Health experts recommend taking extra precautions during an extreme heat warning to lessen the impact of the heat. Experts recommend scheduling strenuous outdoor activities to to early morning or evening hours, wearing lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible and drinking plenty of water.
Other precautions people can take include staying in air-conditioned rooms and staying out of the sun when possible.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Irritability
- Thirst
- Heavy sweating
- Elevated body temperature
- Decreased urine output
Symptoms of heat stroke include:
- Confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech
- Loss of consciousness (coma)
- Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
- Seizures
- Very high body temperature
- Fatal if treatment delayed
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A heat wave is happening in the US. See where it will be the hottest
