- Life-threatening heat waves and consecutive hot days, known as heat streaks, are increasingly affecting US cities due to human-caused climate change.
- A report by the non-profit Climate Central revealed an 80 percent increase in extreme heat streaks across 247 analyzed US cities, with 198 cities experiencing two more streaks annually than in the early 1970s.
- Cities in the Southwest, Northeast, Ohio Valley, and Southeast, including Nashville and Raleigh, have seen the most significant rise in heat streak frequency.
- Prolonged heat poses severe risks, such as increased heat-related illnesses, worsened air quality, and strain on electrical grids, with heat being the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the US, accounting for 2,325 deaths in 2023.
- A new heat wave is currently impacting 100 million Americans, bringing temperatures up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit above average and 'feels like' temperatures potentially reaching 115 degrees Fahrenheit in some regions.
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