Deadly heat wave grips central US and East Coast
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio declares a state of emergency as temperatures surge above triple digits.
As Summer enters its final month, Californians will experience a record-breaking and prolonged heat wave this week.
The National Weather Service predicts that beginning Wednesday, Southern and Northern California will have an excessive and long heat wave with temperatures expected to rise to triple digits. Dry weather in the southern region near Los Angeles will help spread the heat wave to the north in the San Francisco Bay Area throughout the week.
David Sweet, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, believes the high temperatures could contribute to a rise in heat-related illnesses across the Golden State, according to USA Today.
"A large dome of hot air will be sitting over Southern and Central California," Sweet said in a statement. "The immediate coast will be the coolest with temperatures in the upper 70s to mid-80s. There will be an elevated fire danger, but no winds."
AUSTRALIA WILDFIRE OVERRUNS FIREFIGHTERS IN MINUTES AS 'DAY TURNS TO NIGHT' IN DRAMATIC VIDEO
The National Weather services warn that California may experience more fires as heat temperatures rise. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
The weather service noticed that sustained high temperatures across the coast of California could lead to a "prolonged and likely dangerous heat event." The Sacramento Valley may even have temperatures that reach 112 degrees by Sunday.
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One of the most dangerous weather conditions for Americans is not national disasters such as tornadoes or floods but the heat, which kills more people annually. Earlier in the Summer, European countries, such as the United Kingdom, experienced record high heat waves.
The NWS notes that low humidity combined with excessive heat could elevate the risk of wildfires.
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