The recent October heat wave that swept across the Western region included Phoenix setting a new record of 10 consecutive days of extreme heat. Phoenix’s temperature on Thursday soared to 109 degrees Fahrenheit, which was more than 10 degrees higher than the average temperature of 94 degrees for that day, as reported by the National Weather Service.
Forecasts indicate that this stretch of extreme heat could potentially extend to 16 consecutive days. The current record for consecutive daily record highs at a weather station in the United States stands at 14 days in Burlington, Iowa, during the 1936 Dust Bowl era.
On Thursday, several other states such as Kansas and Nebraska also experienced numerous record-high temperatures for October. California saw records broken with temperatures hitting 105 degrees in Hanford, 104 degrees in Stockton, and 105 degrees in Fresno, according to the NWS.
Currently, there are 29 million people under heat warnings in the Southwest and Rocky Mountains regions. The Plains and Midwest are bracing for extremely high temperatures in the 80s and 90s, while the Northeast is anticipated to be 5 to 10 degrees above average. Over 75% of the continental United States is expected to face temperatures 10 to 25 degrees higher than usual as the heatwave continues through the weekend.
Meanwhile, the Gulf of Mexico is experiencing tropical disturbances due to persistent high temperatures in the low 48 degrees Fahrenheit. The National Hurricane Center is closely monitoring regions that could potentially develop into tropical or subtropical storms over the next week.
Florida is likely to encounter heavy rainfall beginning this Sunday and lasting into next week, with more than 6 inches of rain expected in areas along and south of Interstate 4, including the Tampa Bay region ravaged by Hurricane Helen.
Meteorologists are closely monitoring two main regions – Sarasota to Naples and Daytona Beach to West Palm Beach – both poised for heavy rainfall. Hurricane Kirk and Tropical Storm Leslie in the Atlantic Ocean are also being monitored, although there is no immediate threat of landfall.
Unusually, these powerful storms are forming in the tropical Atlantic Ocean in the Far East during October. Typically, such storms develop as tropical systems move closer to the United States in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico as the autumn season progresses, indicating the influence of record warm water temperatures.
Hurricane Kirk achieved Category 4 status on Thursday, setting a new record for the easternmost Category 4 or 5 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean in October and November. With winds reaching 145 mph, it became the strongest hurricane in the latter half of the year since Hurricane Iota in 2020.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
