A heat wave continues to run through the Northeast and Midwest as temperatures top 100 degrees in several areas. This week’s dangerous weather has caused blackouts in many neighborhoods as well as 22 fatalities, according to the Associated Press.
Residents are bracing for sweltering heat as some cities experienced record temperatures this week. According to the AP, Newark reached 108 degrees on Friday, while Washington, D.C. airports reached 105. Garden City, Kansas experienced a high of 108 degrees on Wednesday. Other notable temperatures in the region on Friday include New York City at 104 degrees, Boston and Philadelphia at 103 degrees, and Portland, Maine at 101 degrees.
Many of the affected cities do not experience any relief come nightfall, due to concrete infrastructures that retain heat, a phenomenon that the AP dubs as the “urban heat island” effect. Black top roofs also heighten the problem as cities struggle to get out of the 80-degree mark at night.
A particular concern in New York City is the fact that a lot of infrastructure is underground where heat expands, but does not rise. This is a particularly dangerous scenario for underground workers.
According to the AP, a Mid-Atlantic electrical grid set a record for highest usage on Thursday. The grid powers homes and businesses in 13 states.
