The United States is expected to experience above-normal temperatures from July to September, according to a forecast Thursday from a U.S. government agency, which comes as the country experiences its first significant heat wave of the year.
“What we anticipate is that most of the United States, with the exception of a few places, is expected to experience ‘above normal’ temperatures,” Johnna Infanti said at a press conference. meteorologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
However, these predictions do not indicate anything about possible extreme events (heat waves or record temperatures, for example) which could occur this summer, she clarified.
The first major heat wave of the year in the United States is currently affecting the northeast of the country — an early heatwave since summer is only just beginning.
Some 95 million Americans are under heat alerts, according to the government website heat.gov. This should last until the weekend, according to the country’s weather services (NWS).
“The early arrival of heat in the summer season” as well as “its persistence over several days, weak winds and few clouds will be aggravating factors,” warned the NWS. “People without access to reliable air conditioning need to find a way to cool themselves. »
On Wednesday, the small town of Caribou, in the state of Maine (north-east), equaled its heat record with a temperature of around 35.5°C. The cities of New York and Washington once again exceeded 30°C on Thursday.
President Joe Biden was briefed Thursday on “extreme heat affecting people across the country.”
He also received the latest information regarding Storm Alberto and its impact on the US states of Texas and New Mexico, as well as the fires affecting New Mexico and California.
Last year was the hottest on record globally, and according to NOAA, 2024 has a 50% chance of breaking that record. In any case, it will certainly be among the five hottest years recorded, according to the American agency.
Repeated heat waves are a marker of global warming linked to climate change, scientists insist.
According to experts from the World Weather Attribution reference network, a heat wave that hit the southwest United States, Mexico and Central America in late May and early June was made 35 times more likely by climate change caused by human activities.