NEW YORK — Emergency rooms across the eastern and central United States reported a surge in heat-related visits this week as a dangerous heat dome pushed temperatures and humidity to their highest levels in over a decade in some cities, according to the National Weather Service and local officials.
More than 180 million people were under major or extreme heat risk warnings across the eastern half of the country, the National Weather Service said. In New York City, Central Park hit 100 degrees Thursday, its first triple-digit temperature since 2012, with the heat index reaching 106 degrees, according to ABC News.
Emergency room visits for heat-related illness typically surge on days rated "major" or "extreme" risk, the National Weather Service said, though the agency did not release a specific national visit count as of publication. Heat indices reached between 100 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of the South, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, according to the National Weather Service and IQAir.
New York City Health Commissioner Alister Martin warned that heat stroke is "fast, deadly, and almost always preventable," in comments carried by NPR. The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency urged residents to limit prolonged outdoor exposure and seek immediate help if anyone shows signs of heat-related illness.
Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, with at least 13,000 Americans dying from heat-related causes since 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Chicago activated cooling centers citywide, including at libraries, senior centers and police districts, and moved summer school programming indoors, city officials said. In Washington, D.C., fire and EMS officials said additional ambulances, hydration stations and first-aid tents were deployed ahead of Independence Day events.
Forecasters said the heat dome was expected to begin shifting toward the Plains over the holiday weekend, with some relief possible in the Midwest and Northeast, while hot conditions were likely to persist across the South. The full scope of heat-related hospitalizations remained under review as of publication.
