June 20, 2024: US heat wave news

Heat-related emergency room visits and calls continued to climb in New York state Tuesday amid a blistering and unusually long-lasting June heat wave.

Heat-related emergency room visits on Tuesday were 631% higher than an average June day in the state, according to state health department data shared with CNN. The 95 heat-related ER visits were more than double the 41 visits on Monday and seven times higher than the average of 13.

Heat-related emergency services calls have also increased in recent days, state health officials said.

The statistics do not include New York City, but city officials told CNN that they have also seen an increase in visits for heat-related illnesses from May to September in recent years.

Temperatures continued to climb across New York on Tuesday after pushing into the 90s on Monday. 

The figures highlight how serious a health risk extreme heat is. In the US, heat kills more Americans than any other weather-related disaster, and it will only continue to worsen as the world heats up from burning fossil fuels.

A massive wall of dust stretching more than 100 miles from New Mexico into Mexico raced west across the regions with blinding conditions late Wednesday.

The dust storm, also known as a haboob, set off like a row of cascading dominoes by winds flowing outward from thunderstorms. The same thunderstorms created a flash flood emergency in the fire-ravaged area of Ruidoso, New Mexico.

The haboob reduced visibility to dangerously low levels, creating a hazard for drivers. A dust storm earlier in the day caused a crash involving more than 20 vehicles on Interstate 25 north of Albuquerque, New Mexico, that injured at least 18 people.

A person walks past the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC, on June 20.

The US capital is bracing for even more extreme heat to kick off the first official weekend of summer as an unusually long-lasting June heat wave settles over the area.

The heat will build in Washington, DC, over the coming days. After highs in the mid-90s on Friday, the National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature of 99 degrees on Saturday and 100 degrees by Sunday, which would break a daily high temperature record.

DC hasn’t hit 100 degrees since August 2016. 

This graphic shows tropical development chances for two areas over the next seven days.

The tropics will stay active even after Tropical Storm Alberto moves inland over Mexico, with forecasters watching two other areas for potential tropical development in the coming days.

The most immediate threat is located near the northern Bahamas to the east of Florida. It “could become a tropical depression before it reaches the coast of northeast Florida or Georgia on Friday,” the National Hurricane Center said.

Regardless of development, coastal areas of northeast Florida and Georgia can expect numerous showers on Friday and Saturday along with gusty winds and high surf.

Another tropical system could form in the same area of the Gulf of Mexico where Alberto originated. It will start over southeastern Mexico and northern Central America on Friday and move into the Bay of Campeche on Saturday. The system could then gradually develop into a tropical depression this weekend while over water.

Weather models show this system taking a similar path as Alberto to the west-northwest into northeastern Mexico by early next week.

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 to the 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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 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.

A flooded street is seen in Corpus Christi, Texas, on June 20.

Tropical Storm Alberto has made landfall, but its massive sprawl of strong winds is still pushing the Gulf of Mexico onshore in South Texas.

A storm surge of 3.5 feet was reported in Corpus Christi, Texas, Thursday morning – more than a foot higher than levels reported at this time yesterday, data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows. Water levels could keep rising, with high tide expected in the early afternoon.

More widespread storm surge of 1 to 2 feet was reported along the coast. At one point Wednesday, Alberto’s wind field was the largest of any Gulf of Mexico tropical storm since 2004, according to hurricane expert Michael Lowry.

Alberto’s size makes it particularly effective at generating storm surge because its winds are pushing on a larger surface area of water.

Zach Pearson, who lost his father in the New Mexico fire told CNN his father was “trying to get away from the fire as fast as he could.”

Through tears, Pearson spoke about his father’s attempt to leave, and said it was “heartbreaking to know he didn’t make it.”

“To know that he was trying to run for his life, trying to get away from the fire,” Pearson said.

A burned car sits in front of a ruined building in Ruidoso, New Mexico, on June 18.

New Mexico Rep. Gabe Vasquez has described the wildfires burning across the state as one of its “most devastating.”

Two fires, burning across Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation, have converged on the village of Ruidoso. Two people have died in the fires, and at least another two were injured.

Speaking to CNN’s Sara Sidner, Vasquez said many people he was speaking to did not want to leave their homes, and local, state and federal resources were mobilized to encourage people in the path of the wildfires to evacuate to safety.

He said there was “no question” that property would be lost, “but what we want to prevent is loss of life.”

He also referenced the ongoing impact the climate crisis is having on the fires, and urged Congress and the Biden administration to do more to help those who are impacted by the fires.

“Climate change is only exacerbating both the amount of fires we have… the amount of heat and the unpredictability as these fires continue to rage on. So it’s going to be an issue and it takes an immense amount of resources.”

“This is the new normal. We have to get used to it and Congress and the administration has to act as soon as we spot these fires.”

The world consumed record amounts of oil, coal and gas last year, pushing planet-heating carbon pollution to a new high, according to a report published Thursday, shattering climate scientists’ hopes that global energy emissions may have peaked.

The growth in fossil fuels drove a 2.1% increase in energy-related emissions last year, pushing them above 40 billion metric tons for the first time, according to the report published Thursday by the Energy Institute.

The report paints a bleak picture of a world struggling to wean itself off planet-warming fossil fuels even as the impacts of the climate crisis become more intense and more deadly.

Brutal extreme heat is currently scorching swaths of the planet. A heat wave unlike any seen in decades is sweeping large parts of the US, which is also grappling with deadly wildfires, storms and severe flooding. Hundreds of people have died as temperatures rose to 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. And India is currently grappling with a deadly summer heat wave which has killed dozens of people.

The report also shows that even though the world is adding clean, renewables at record levels, global energy demand is growing so fast that fossil fuels are filling the gaps.

Last year was “another year of highs in our energy hungry world,” said Juliet Davenport, president of the Energy Institute. “Energy is central to human progress,” she added. “It is also now central to our very survival.”

Read more about how human use of fossil fuels is driving extreme weather here.

Government employees work to drain a flooded overpass as tropical storm Alberto continues to advance, in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 19.

Tropical Storm Alberto has made landfall near Tampico, Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center. It has 45 mph winds.

As the storm pushes inland, it could trigger considerable flash and urban flooding and will continue to lash areas with tropical storm-force winds.

With strong winds and rain extending hundreds of miles from its center, Alberto has already been wreaking havoc in northeast Mexico and southern Texas, lashing the region with destructive coastal flooding, heavy rains and strong winds.

Storm clouds are seen over Monterrey in Nuevo León, Mexico, on June 19.

Three minors have died as a result of heavy rains in Mexico’s Nuevo León state, Gov. Samuel García said Wednesday night as Tropical Storm Alberto battered the area.

García said the children died while playing, but didn’t provide additional details. He said the deaths could have been avoided and urged parents to take greater care of their kids.

Classes have been suspended in both Nuevo León and neighboring Coahuila state due to forecasts of rain and floods.

“There’s a reason classes were suspended,” García told a local media outlet. “This is not ordinary rain.”

García also announced the temporary suspension of work, transportation and movement in the state from 10 p.m. Wednesday until noon local time Thursday.

He said hospitals and shelters would remain operational during that time.

Vehicles drive through flooded neighborhoods in Surfside Beach, Texas, on June 19.

As Tropical Storm Alberto nears the coast of Mexico early Thursday morning, tropical storm warnings have been discontinued along the Texas coast as heavy rains and gusty winds begin to subside, according to the National Hurricane Center. The tropical storm warning for northern Mexico continues.

“Rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Alberto is expected to begin to diminish across southern Texas during the day, with additional rainfall totals of 1 inch or less expected,” the hurricane center said.

Meanwhile, coastal flood advisories continue along the Texas coast as storm surge could reach 2 to 4 feet.

Alberto is located about 40 miles east of Tampico, Mexico, and 250 miles south of Brownsville, Texas, moving west at 13 mph, according to the 5 a.m. ET National Hurricane Center update.

Skeletons of vehicles sit in front of residences in the aftermath of the South Fork fire in Alto, New Mexico, on June 19.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has asked President Joe Biden to declare a major disaster in response to the South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire, the governor said Wednesday night.

The aid would be used to address the needs of fire victims, including housing, crisis counseling and displacement assistance.

A plume of smoke rises from the South Fork fire as a vehicle passes through the evacuated town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, on June 19.

Within 24 hours, two fires raging in southern New Mexico have killed at least two people, damaged 1,400 structures and forced the evacuation of more than 8,000 residents in what the state’s governor called “one of the most devastating fires in New Mexico’s history.”

About 500 of the damaged buildings are believed to be homes, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said Wednesday night.

USDA Forest Service firefighters return from battling the blaze and assisting with evacuations caused by the South Fork Fire in Ruidoso, New Mexico, on June 17.

No cause has been determined for the fires, but investigators are working diligently to pinpoint their origin, the governor said. 

Severe thunderstorms in the area have also triggered flooding and more rainfall is expected Thursday. Grisham urged residents not to try to return to the Ruidoso area.

The South Fork Fire has consumed 16,335 acres and the Salt Fire has burned 7,071 acres, according to an interagency advisory.

A relentless streak of extreme weather is disrupting communities across the US from dangerous heat in the East to fires and floods in the West.

To make matters worse, a massive tropical storm is expected to make landfall in northeastern Mexico Thursday morning and is already being felt in southern Texas, where entire neighborhoods have been swamped with floodwaters.

Here’s where we start the day:

Tropical Storm Alberto nears landfall: The gigantic tropical storm is expected to slam into Tampico, Mexico, Thursday morning. With outer bands reaching more than 400 miles from its center, Alberto’s impacts are already being felt in northeastern Mexico and southern Texas, where heavy rains, coastal flooding and tropical storm-force winds are wreaking havoc. Dangerous flash flooding and storm surge are likely to inundate coastal communities in these areas, as well as southern Louisiana.

Fires and floods create crisis in New Mexico: Within 24 hours, two fires raging in southern New Mexico have killed at least two people, damaged 1,400 structures and forced the evacuation of more than 8,000 residents. The state’s governor has requested federal disaster assistance and called the crisis “one of the most devastating fires in New Mexico’s history.” To make matters worse, thunderstorms in the area have triggered dangerous flooding – and more rain is on the way Thursday.

California firefighters brace for 100-degree heat: Crews working to reign in the 19,000-acre Sites Fire in California may have to contend with 100-degree temperatures over the coming days as a heat advisory has been issued for central California. Not only does the heat threaten to feed the flames, but it also poses significant health risks for firefighters working under the sun.

Heat wave broils the Northeast: A long-lasting heat wave has been baking the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast under 90-degree temperatures – reaching more than 20 degrees above normal in some places. More than 15 daily high temperature records were broken on Wednesday. The heat wave is expected to peak in the Great Lakes and New England on Thursday but will continue for several more days in many areas. Because heat worsens the ozone and other types of pollution, several air quality advisories are in effect. 

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 like heavy rainfall and floods — as well as destructive storms — more intense. For every 1 degree Celsius that the planet warms, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases 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 heat waves across parts of the United States and southern Europe in July last year would 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 and drying 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.

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.

With heatstroke, 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 temperature.

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.