A string of excessive heat warnings were issued by the National Weather Service early Thursday with temperatures expected to soar to 100 degrees and more in much of the United States.
The warnings were issued for parts of Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Nebraska, Missouri, Indiana, Oklahoma and Kansas. Weather.com said much of the Northeast would see temperatures in the 90s.
“If precautions are not taken … persons outside could suffer from heat exhaustion and potentially heat stroke. Heat-related illness can be life-threatening,” the WS warned.
“Temperatures within vehicles can become lethal in a few minutes. Never leave children or pets in vehicles,” it added.
The NWS said parts of central Indiana could see the hottest weather since the 1930s.
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On Wednesday, temperatures soared toward and above 100 degrees in many Central Plains states and meteorologists expect little relief over the next couple of weeks.
Slideshow: Summertime living (on this page)Parts of Colorado and Kansas have reported temperatures at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit for several days.
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Dry conditions and high temperatures have exacerbated wildfires in western states, and have threatened corn crops and stressed livestock in the Central Plains.
"This overall pattern looks like it is going to stick around well into July," Alex Sosnowski, an expert senior meteorologist with AccuWeather.com, said.
"It looks pretty much rock solid centered on the Central Plains and Central Rockies over into the Tennessee Valley interior south," Sosnowski said. "It's anchored in there and it's really not going to change much."
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Sosnowski said temperatures would spike toward 100 degrees from Chicago to Washington D.C. and possibly New York every now and then, and areas from Colorado to the interior of the Carolinas would have little hope for temporary relief.
Temperatures will push 90 degrees most days in New York, Washington and Philadelphia the next two weeks, while Denver, Kansas City and the middle of the nation will tend to see high temperatures pushing 100 degrees, he said.
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Hill City, Kansas, a farming community of about 1,500 people in the northwest part of the state, has been the hottest place in the nation for several days.
The dry conditions have led to numerous wildfires across Colorado, Utah and other western states, forcing thousands of people from their homes and consuming houses and timber.
Reuters contributed to this report.
