Oppressive heat, high humidity grip much of the US as students start a new school year

A sweltering heat wave has engulfed a significant portion of the United States, leaving residents to endure oppressive temperatures and high humidity, especially as students embark on a new school year. Roughly 97 million people across the central Plains to the Southeast are bracing for hazardous heat conditions. Forecasters predict that temperatures in over a dozen states in the Southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley could soar to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) this week, with the potential for even higher readings in some areas of the Southeast.

The combination of scorching heat and elevated humidity could create a stifling "heat dome" effect, with overnight lows remaining in the 70s (21-24 C) in many urban regions. Meteorologist Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections warned that the lack of nighttime relief could exacerbate the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to extreme heat.

People are being advised to remain indoors whenever feasible and to stay well-hydrated. Early impacts of the heat wave have already been felt, with workers in Little Rock, Arkansas, struggling to cope with the intense conditions. Madi Ramos, a 21-year-old landscaping worker, donned a straw hat as she shoveled an irrigation ditch outside the state Capitol on a 90 F (32 C) morning.

Ramos noted that the current heat was more intense than the previous year's heat wave, and recounted feeling nauseous during a previous heatwave, necessitating a break. One of her colleagues had to take three days off due to heat-related illness. The forecast underscores the growing impact of climate change, which intensifies extreme heat events driven by the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline, oil, and coal.