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Subscribe to RSSIn the hot zone emergency room visits are on the rise as the number of heat-related deaths rose, especially among the sick and elderly. NBC's John Yang reports.
Cooler weather was on the horizon for the Midwest, but not before two weeks of oven-like temperatures had taken their toll: at least 46 deaths were tied to the heat over that period, according to a list compiled by the Weather Channel. Friday also saw the 9th straight day at 100 degrees or above in St. Louis, Mo., and the third straight day above 100 in Chicago.
Virginia saw the most heat-related deaths with 10, followed by Maryland (9) and Illinois (6). Three of the dead were children, with the rest adults between 45 and 83.
Temperatures in the Midwest should be back in the 80s by Sunday -- but only after another hot round on Saturday as the heat wave shifts to the East Coast.
Washington, D.C., on Saturday could break its all time record of 106, the Weather Channel reported. Same with Pittsburgh (103) and Louisville, Ky., (107).
The heat wave has included several rounds of storms that add to the misery.
The extreme heat in Indianapolis, Indiana is proving to be too much for a chocolatier's air conditioning system, reluctantly closing rather than risk having their inventory melt. WTHR's Emily Longnecker reports.
Following last weekend's storms, at least 406,000 people were without electricity on Friday in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Ohio, power companies said.
Indiana, Virginia and West Virginia on Thursday saw new storms and new power outages, while the same happened in Michigan on Wednesday.
St. Louis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago and several other Midwest cities already have broken heat records this week.
St. Louis hit a record high of 105 on Wednesday and a record low of 83. The city hadn't seen 9 straight days at or above 100 since 1936.
In Chicago, three straight days above 100 hadn't been seen since 1947 and the city has no longer stretch on record. There's a slight chance that could be broken Saturday.
In Wisconsin, the coolest Milwaukee and Madison got was 81 in the early morning, beating previous low records by 2 and 4 degrees respectively. Temperatures didn't fall below 79 in Chicago, 78 in Grand Rapids, Mich., and 75 in Indianapolis.
"When a day starts out that warm, it doesn't take as much time to reach high temperatures in the low 100s," said Marcia Cronce, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "You know it'll be a warm day when you start out at 80 degrees."
Investigators say at least two deaths in the Midwest are the result of the sweltering heat that continues to cook the region. NBC's John Yang reports.
When the air conditioner stopped in Ashley Jackson's Southfield, Mich., home, so too did normal conversations and nightly rest.
"Inside the house it was 91 degrees. ... I wasn't talking to anybody. Nobody was talking to anybody," said Jackson, 23, who works as a short-order cook in Detroit. "We mostly slept, but it was hard to sleep because of the heat. I probably got about four hours of sleep each night."
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In Chicago on Thursday, the Shedd Aquarium lost power as temperatures soared to 103 degrees, a record for July 5. Officials said emergency generators immediately kicked in and the outage never threatened any of animals, but several hundred visitors were sent back out into the heat.
Celebrating the warm summer months, as schools let out and the cooling off begins
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The other heat-related deaths happened across a wide swathe of the country: Alabama (5), Missouri (5), Ohio (3), Wisconsin (3), Tennessee (2), South Carolina (2) and Kentucky (1).
The heat has also taken a toll on agriculture.
Dean Hines, the owner of Hines Ranch Inc. in the western Wisconsin town of Ellsworth, said he found one of his 80 dairy cows dead Thursday, an apparent victim of the heat. He said he was worried about the rest of his herd, in terms of death toll, reproductive consequences and milk production.
"We're using fans and misters to keep them cool," he said. "It's been terrible. When it doesn't cool down at night, the poor animals don't have a chance to cool down."
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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We've had some "little" catastrophies in verious places over the past several weeks. They were wild fires and many were completely preventable. But still they happened because those who started them did not heed the warning signs to take the necessary precautions. Now we have some BIG problems going on - this has truly been a Spring and Summer for the record books. Hundreds of thousands to millions of people are feeling really uncomfortable right now due to the record warm temperatures and lack of rain. Some say these conditions will become more common in the near future with even more extreme weather interspersed between the "common" heat waves. And then again, maybe not. . . Certainly the scoundrel, Gore, couldn't possibly have gotten anything right. . . But then again . . . are these record-breaking and near-record-breaking heat waves preventable? Might it be desirable to err on the side of caution in trying to radically reduce CO2 emissions? Or do we only care about making sure to get our share now and let future generations deal with the consequences of our actions and inaction?
i dont know why every discussion, every day turns into a political rant - yes, there have been many very warm and very cold eras in the earth's history caused by natural occurances - the global climate change that we are living in is unprecedented due to the enormous increase of the population and polution in addition to natural causes - it is a theory because atmospheric scientists, whose job is to study this, have come up with this theory that meets all the critera but since it is an unknown path, even they would admit it is still a guess - it isnt the fault of the dems, reps, tea party or the man in the moon - it is nature - since we are part of nature, we will have to live with the consequences of our actions - more than likely, it is too late - if it is, it is everyone's fault and we will have to reep what we sow, if there is anything left to reep - if nothing but good happens, we can all dance around happily and enjoy our new world - time will tell
Most people use statistics the way a drunk uses a lamp-post....more for support than illumination.
"How can we be so arrogant? The planet is, was, and always will be stronger than us.
We can't destroy it; if we overstep the mark, the planet will simply erase us from its surface and carry on existing.
Why don't they start talking about not letting the planet destroy us?
Because "Saving the planet" gives a sense of power, action and nobility.
Whereas "not letting the planet destroy us" might lead us to feelings of despair and impotence, and to a realisation of just how very limited our capabilities are.
Let’s be humble. Let’s respect Mother Earth because if She becomes furious with our behavior, we are in trouble." Paulo Coelho
Yes, the planet is stronger than us, which is one reason we might want to avoid messing with it. Especailly when we KNOW adding CO2 to the atmosphere will change the climate with potential feedbacks we can't control.
Global warming does not have anything to do with destroying the planet. Is it only about the ability to support life for ten thousand years or more. What we have seen so far is just the beginning of what is going to be much more extreme.
Kinda hard to feel bad, but it's been in the upper 90's in Tampa for a month now (except when Debby was around) and I do understand it's hotter up north..but, When the heat does break, we will still be in the Upper 90's for 2 more months...I guess we are just used to it
Stop talking about global warming. The important issue raised in the story was risk to our chocolate supply. If any readers live near this chocolatier please go and help her save the chocolate.
I n the late 1700s, the French king recieved a petition from the wine producers in France complaining that the King needed to impose a tarrif on the cheap wines that were flooding the markets in France and taking money from the French wine producers. These wines were produced in ENGLAND from locally grown ENGLISH GRAPES. Now I don't know when the last time that I had a good english wine, oh thats right never as they no longer exsist as the COOLING of the LITTLE ICE AGE wiped out all english vineyards but again I could be wrong like the English University that FALSIFIED CLIMATE records to SUPPORT the arguement for Global Warming.
The fact that it has been warm before proves nothing about why it is happening NOW.
Nobody falsified any data so please quit lying about that.
Jock
They DID manipulate the data, this was a proven FACT in the mass email release, where have you been?
Jock
You better go back to the univerisity and ask your history professor about the study of Historigraphy (the search for absolute truth through historical records). The cycles of heating and cooling of the earth is proven through not only written historical records but also scientific facts and fossil records. Those were not falisified. What were falisified were the records that were released in the last Global Warming Summit by the staff at the Global Warming Institute based at Cambridge Universaity. The Royal Society reported in Popular Science that internal e-mails instructed all staff members to not include in their reports the facts that Global Warming was a NATURALLY recurring event and is to report that it is a man-made event in order to secure more funding. But again you will just put me down as another denier when you won't open your mind to all the facts and make your own decision instead of salivating like a dog at a half baked theory that has been proven false by History and Science. Go drink your Kool-Aid like a good Lemming
The Bible says that God controls the winds and the rains. Remember when he punished people in the Bible for disobeying his laws? Even though his grace was given to all who accepted it thru Christ. Those who don't will suffer the consequences of their sinfilled, selfish lives. Jesus will take those of us who truly love him off this planet and the real wrath will come. Are you willing to see what that is going to be like? Repent now and be saved people. Is your eternity worth spending in hell? Over what, a few good times of sin here on earth? Nope, not for me. I'll live as Holy as I can and pray to escape all these things coming upon the earth. Tribulation now.org. Check it out.
The Bible was written 3000 years ago by an obscure Middle eastern cult.
terri
Yeah, sure, god is punishing us for "disobeying his laws" by causing the temperature to rise.
Whatever....
Wally,
You'll be eating crow. Enjoy...
terri,
If he can find one to eat, that is.
terri
Who the hell are you to tell someone they will be "eating crow" because they do not share your fantasy?
Now I hope that everyone has taken the National Weather Services Skywarn class. If you did you know that you need cold dry air aloft to interact with warm moist air below for storms to form. A simple stalled high pressure system that sits there and makes it hot can't create storms on its own.
The key is colder air coming down from the Arctic that will fuel storms and tornadoes.
Dang it... it's July and hot! It should be 20 below zero!
Must be global warming!
The link title said 'Twister might be next!'
Sounds like a threat. Either buy global warming or have your home destroyed.
Maybe the Church of Scientology and 'Official' Global Warming go hand in hand. Obey or die.
I know this is slobama's fault.
People need to start figuring out how to stay cool in this type of heat. Here in Colorado, we had 100's for a week and you didn't hear of people dying. Having grown up in Texas, I guess I'm used to extreme heat numbers but now I cannot handle temperature extremes due to health issues. I understand how people could die from the heat but most are preventable with enough common sense and water.
The next thing these media hacks will likely inform me of the following items:
Heavy rains cause floods which cause dozens of deaths.
Frigid weather causes dozens of deaths.
Ice storm causes dozens of deaths.
People are stupid as evidenced by the moronic "global warming" fear mongering on this thread. What's new? Nothing here! Mindless brainwashed liberals carry on as usual. Puppets getting their strings pulled... nothing more.
Global warming? No way. God ate too many beans and tortilla chips so this is all perfectly natural.
I lived in Kentucky for a while, and it was always so humid during the summer that they would issue heat warnings if the temperature went into the high 80's. I live in Colorado now, and 105 degrees here isn't even close to as miserable as 90 degrees was there. At least here you can roll down your window if you're driving - in Kentucky it just made things worse because of the humidity. Nights were hot and stuffy, like being in a sauna. I know we get the high temperatures here in Western states, but at least it doesn't feel like breathing underwater. It also cools down a lot more at night in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. I can't imagine what 107 must feel like in Kentucky, but for those making comparisons to Western states with regular highs over 100, I assure you it's not the same.
Obama has caused this climatic shift and drought. There, I said it first! If you think this economy was the result of Obama's policies then the climate change should be his too.
If your #1 priority to govern the United States out of the "Great Depression" is to do nothing to make sure this President has only one term, you need to be voted out of office! The GOP has not done their job!
As the Republicans/Tea Party and Mitt Romney fight to end health care to the millions it seems former President Bush is doing the following
BUSH: We care because we believe that to whom much is given, much is required. And those of us, who live in America, live in the most blessed nation ever and therefore when we see suffering, we ought to act.
The Bushes recently opened a women’s health clinic in Zambia, a country that has the second highest rate of cervical cancer in the world.
As Americans would be left to die by the GOP and Mitt it seems Bush has worked on his legacy in Africa by saving lives.
Those who doubt global warming, should take into
consideration, the melting of glaciers around the world.
Water supply is highly dependent on those glaciers and
the melting of the polar ice caps is causing desalinisation
of ocean water that is responsible for ocean currents that
not only distribute heat to the northern latitudes but are also
responsible for life in very low water depths. If it dies, it could release
noxious gases from the ocean that would kill humans instantly. And, of
course land that the world is growing increasingly short of due to population
growth and infinite consumer growth. These are also historical climate events
that caused mass extinctions.
Fri pm 7/6/12 Is it HOT enough to Fry a Egg on the SideWalk ?
Soldotna, Alaska High of +62 degrees today & drizzling Rain. After another Winter from Hell & all of the "Lower 48" ignoring our weather concerns as You bragged about the awesome Winter & how Mellow it was for You
Pay Backs are HELL !
I don't think there is a AirCondtioner in the entire State of Alaska ?
STAY COOL & TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER SPW in Alaska "Airborne"
Fri. 7/6/12 Global Warming is NOT Happening ! according to the Republicans.
I'm from Missouri "Show Me" O K I will. My 1st Trip to the State of Alaska was in 1977. Portage Glacier just South of Anchorage, Alaska There You drove along a long Dusty Gravel Road & arrived at PORTAGE GLACIER.
There were HUGE Chunks of Blue Glacier ICE the size of a damn semi-truck & You could walk right up & touch the Ice from the shoreline. It was like stepping back in Time over a Million Years as You touched the Ice.
Fast Forward to today a mere 35 years later & Ya can't even see the Glaciers or the Ice ! It has Melted.
Ya gotta buy a ticket on a damn tour boat & cruise for 45 min just to get a distant glimpse of the Portage Glacier off in the distance. The same Glacier that You could walk up & touch in 1977.
Now THAT is Factual Physical Proof that Global Warming is Happening. "Show Me"
SPW in Alaska
Has everyone seen the temperatures across the US? It's HOT! Hot across the whole US. And yet I see ads from the GOP to stop the restrictions from the nasty EPA so the coal industry can pollute the environment more than what they do now.
Coal is dirty! Use it wisely.
We are going to have such an extreme weather future because Fox News has convinced that even dumbest people in American are climatologist and assuming that someone that studies the climate for 50 years of his life, somehow forgot about sun spots, or when they point out the obvious like the climate goes up and down over long periods of time.
This argument is getting dumber, even the scientist that were climate change deniers are now agreeing with climate change is man made, but they now disagree on how fast the planet is warming.
Never fear cause the Republicans say global warming is a joke. In fact 99% of what they say is a joke!
:(
This makes me very sad.. I will never understand how people could ignore whats been happening to the climate, and not want to change anything to fix it. They dont even want to try.. Atleast if we tried and failed, we could atleast say we tried.. How can anyone deny Climate change? How many people need to die before you want to try and do something about it? Greed, Apathy, and Sloth, will be the death of us all.
I wouldnt be surprised if many deniers want the world to die off, out of spite or something...
Condolences to the loved ones of the victims.
People need to contact their city officials and demand they set up cooling centers, in ever town effected if necessary. So the elderly, and anyone else without resources, can cool off when needed. Plus transpo to help get people there. Governors should be declaring emergencies.