Blistering heat to expand across nation's midsection during final week of July
As the southwestern U.S. sizzle continues for the foreseeable future, AccuWeather meteorologists say cities farther to the east may string together their longest stretch of heat and humidity yet this summer.
As a persistent dome of heat continues to roast the Southwest, record-setting heat will expand to include much of the Rockies and the central U.S. into next week.
The dome of heat that has baked the southwestern United States through the month of July and obliterated long-standing temperature records will expand its reach over the center of the country and affect millions more with dangerously hot weather.
AccuWeather forecasters say that while the pattern may not promote widespread record high temperatures over the Central states, similar to what has been experienced over the Southwest, many locations could experience the most sustained period of heat and humidity yet this summer.
Chicago, St. Louis among cities to roast as July comes to a close
Cities across the central United States have largely avoided long stretches of intense heat so far this summer. During the first three weeks of July, temperatures were near or slightly below the historical averages as a whole in places such as Denver, Minneapolis, St. Louis and Chicago.
"As the record-breaking heat wave continues in the Southwest, by the latter part of the week, the heat will build eastward into the Midwest as well," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.
High temperatures will climb to levels 5-15 degrees Fahrenheit above the historical average as the high pressure system associated with the intense heat grows in size and intensity.
Denver has yet to hit the triple-digit mark yet this year, but the AccuWeather forecast has the city nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday. A triple-digit reading would tie the daily record set in 2003. In 2022, the Mile High City achieved this temperature reading on June 11, which tied the date for the earliest on record. The city's latest 100-degree temperature is Aug. 18.
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The heat will continue to expand eastward as the last week of July progresses, bringing lengthy stretches of 90-degree days to Kansas City, Missouri, Minneapolis, St. Louis and Chicago. For some, this can be the longest stretch of 90-degree weather yet this year.
"Chicago's O'Hare International Airport has not reached 90 since July 14, but 90s are expected to return starting on Wednesday as the heat and humidity build eastward," Pydynowski said.
Highs in the 90s could last through Friday, making for the most sustained period of heat and humidity the city has experienced since July 4-5.
St. Louis may string together a more than week-long stretch of 90-degree temperatures lasting into early August. The city's longest 90-degree stint this summer lasted five days from July 10-14.
AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures can surge into the upper 90s and lower 100s at times within the pattern, when factoring in some humidity, sunshine and drier conditions.
Episodes of severe thunderstorms and flooding are expected to be less frequent compared to recent weeks, providing some glimmer of good news amid the heat.
By the end of the week, a surge of heat will expand even farther eastward and could impact part of the Northeast's Interstate-95 corridor.
Southwest sizzle to continue for the foreseeable future
"Many residents in the Southwest may be wondering when the extreme heat will break. Normally, the seasonal monsoon provides relief in the region, but it hasn't been anywhere to be found so far this summer," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said.
For months, AccuWeather's long-range team has noted that this year's monsoon would be weaker and start later than year's past, and that has certainly been the case this year. The North American monsoon brings an uptick in cloudiness and rainfall that suppresses the heat and typically runs from June 15 to Sept. 30, according to the National Weather Service's definition.
Phoenix is enduring one of its most intense heat waves ever endured in recorded history and it shows no sign of letting up next week, according to AccuWeather's forecast.
Forecasters say there may be enough of an uptick in moisture across the Southwest early in the week to produce widely-separated thunderstorms. One or two of these storms may drift into the Phoenix metro area, bringing the risk of gusty winds and blowing dust while temporarily easing the extreme heat.
"Even Los Angeles, which has experienced below-average temperatures to begin summer, will begin a run of 90-degree afternoons by the middle of the week," Deger said.
Farther north, areas of the interior Northwest that have faced days of highs in the upper 90s to middle 100s, such as Boise, Idaho, will be some of the lucky few that get a reprieve from the intense heat by the middle of the week, forecasters say.
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