Record-breaking heat wave turns deadly in southern Canada, eastern US
The oppressive heat wave that has been baking the eastern United States and southern Canada since the end of June has not only shattered temperature records, but has also turned deadly.
CBC News reported that more than 100 people were treated for heat-related issues at Canada Day events in Ottawa on Sunday. At least 33 people have died after suffering heat-related complications in Quebec, CTV reported. At least 18 of those fatalities occurred in Montreal.
The temperature on Sunday climbed to 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius) in Montreal and reached 96 F (36 degrees C) on Monday, both of which shattered the previous daily record highs.
As the heat extended its grip on the Midwest, three players of the Minnesota Twins baseball team had to leave the game at the Chicago Cubs' Wrigley Field due to heat-related illnesses on Saturday, according to the MLB.
Residents at Inglemoor Rehabilitation and Care Center in Englewood, New Jersey, were exposed to the sweltering heat on Monday, July 2, when the air conditioning went down, according to NorthJersey.com.
The building was evacuated on Monday afternoon when the HVAC system went out of service, Englewood Fire Chief Erik Enersen said.
No one was injured or became ill because of the heat, Inglemoor spokeswoman Christine Emrick told NorthJersey.com. About 50 patients were evacuated and taken to other Inglemoor centers.
New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-Paterson, was escorted from the fire headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey, after nearly collapsing during a news conference to announce legislation on Tuesday, July 3, according to NorthJersey.com.
"Cooling stations will continue to be warranted through Thursday as heat persists at dangerous levels in the urban areas of the major Northeast cities," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. "Air stagnation and poor air quality will continue to be a concern with this heat wave."
The temperature on July 1 soared to 98 F in Allentown, Pennsylvania, breaking the record of 97 F set in 1964.
Consecutive record highs were set in Burlington, Vermont, on the first two days of July when the mercury climbed to 96 F and 97 F, respectively.
The sun sets behind the Statue of Liberty in New York on Sunday, July 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
Although temperatures did not reach record levels in New York City's Central Park, temperatures still skyrocketed into the middle 90s F, or more than 10 degrees above normal for early July.
At least three deaths have been reported in the U.S. as a consequence of the extreme heat, CNN reports.
An elderly man died in New York City on Friday. A Pennsylvania woman died of heat-related causes on Saturday while working in her garden. A 30-year-old man died after he collapsed on a mountain trail while running a race in Wilmington, New York, on Sunday.
The Kansas City Health Department is investigating two deaths that may have been directly related to the heat.
Although the heat wave peaked from Sunday to Tuesday, high temperatures in the 90s F with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures approaching or exceeding the century mark will continue to scorch parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast through Thursday.
A push of cooler and more comfortable air diving southward out of Canada will finally bring an end to the dangerous heat by Friday in Canada and the interior Northeast and Saturday across the mid-Atlantic.
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