Fresh Heatwave Sweeps US and Canada as Millions Face Extreme Temperatures

(Canada weather. Photo by BBC)

Large parts of the United States and Canada are grappling with yet another heatwave, bringing extreme temperatures and poor air quality to the regions.

Toronto and other Canadian cities, along with parts of the US Midwest and Northeast, are set to see the high temperatures that began on Tuesday persist into Wednesday.

Further west in the US, millions of Americans have already endured the sweltering conditions, with residents in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and as far west as Buffalo, New York, currently under weather advisories through Wednesday.

The high temperatures come not long after a record-breaking heatwave struck large portions of the US around the 4th of July, prompting experts to urge caution.

A strong area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere is building eastwards across the US and parts of Canada, with this dome of hot, humid air already breaking all-time temperature records in parts of Montana and Utah as it continues shifting eastward.

The northern Plains, Midwest and Northeast are expected to bear the brunt of the heat, with Chicago forecast to hit 97F (36C) on Wednesday, while New York could reach 100F and Washington DC is expected to see temperatures around 102F.

A few areas could get even hotter, with high humidity making conditions feel even more oppressive.

Central and eastern Canada have also experienced intense heat, though a cold front is expected to bring cooler temperatures over the coming days, along with the risk of severe thunderstorms that could also affect parts of New England.

These thundery conditions are expected to spread more widely across eastern North America by the weekend, helping ease the worst of the heat, although temperatures in many areas are likely to remain above seasonal norms.

Earlier this month, extreme heat disrupted Fourth of July celebrations across parts of the US, including the cancellation of the Washington DC parade.

More than 165 million people endured record temperatures along the US East Coast and Midwest during that period, with at least 44 d3aths reported across the country as a result of the heatwave between July 1 and July 4.

Heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting due to human-induced climate change.

The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began, and temperatures are expected to keep rising unless governments worldwide make significant cuts to emissions.