AccuWeather.com

By Bill Deger, Meteorologist

Jul 18, 2011; 10:53 AM ET

Share |

An unidentified pedestrian walks past a time and temperature sign in Lawrence, Kan., Monday, July 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

"This week, many major cities ... will challenge temperature records on a daily basis."

This week's severe heat wave is set to leave its mark in the record books, with numerous high temperature records in jeopardy as the blazing heat expands east through next weekend.

More than 40 states will be sizzling in the 90s or above through the course of the week, according to Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski. A large number, likely over 15, will bake above 100° for days on end. In Dallas, Sunday was the 16th day at 100° or above. In Oklahoma City, 27 days have been at 100° or above and since June 1st it has been 90° or above every day.

Of course when it comes to how the heat really feels, high humidity levels will render thermometers useless from the eastern Plains to the East Coast. AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures, which factors in humidity, will top out between 105° and 110° in many areas, with a few locations as high as 115°!

As Pydynowski points out, the worst of the heat and humidity will be focused across the Plains and Mississippi Valley region through the first half of the week. By week's end, the mercury in the major cities along I-95 could approach triple digits.

For many along the southern Plains, it's already been an unusually brutal summer. The sure-to-be impressive records concerning duration and severity of the heat in this region won't be fully appreciated until the season is over.

This week, many major cities farther north and east will challenge temperature records on a daily basis. Here is an exhaustive, but certainly incomplete list of record highs that, based on AccuWeather.com forecasts, are in jeopardy of being tied or broken:

Monday:

--Rapid City: 106° (2006)

--Minneapolis: 101° (1940)

--Cleveland, Ohio: 96° (1968)

Tuesday:

--Rapid City: 105° (2005)

--Louisville, Ky.: 100° (1980)

--Minneapolis: 100° (1977)

--Madison, Wis.: 97° (1964)

--South Bend, Ind.: 96° (1991)

Wednesday:

--Louisville: 100° (1954)

--Green Bay, Wis.: 99° (1901)

--Buffalo, N.Y.: 91° (1994)

Thursday:

--Flint, Mich.: 95° (1998)

--Erie, Pa.: 93° (1964)

Friday:

--Harrisburg, Pa.: 101° (1926)

--Philadelphia, Pa.: 100° (1957)

--Scranton, Pa.: 98° (1955)

--Syracuse, N.Y.: 98° (2002)

--Detroit, Mich.: 96° (1940)

--Flint: 95° (2002)

--Green Bay: 94° (1918)

--Erie: 93° (2002)

--Binghamton, N.Y.: 91° (1955)

Be sure to check back during the week to check on the status of these record high temperatures. Also, feel free to report your own backyard thermometer reading on our AccuWeather.com Facebook fan page, or by sending us a tweet @breakingweather or @accuweather.