Sweltering heat wave grips central and southern US for a second straight day - AP News

What the report says

The Associated Press reported that a major heat wave continued to affect the central and southern United States for a second consecutive day, with at least 40 million people under extreme heat warnings on Sunday. The National Weather Service expected heat indexes above 105 degrees Fahrenheit in areas ranging from Memphis to Montana and Las Vegas, while AP reported that heat indexes above 100 degrees extended from Minnesota to Mississippi and west into southern California and Nevada.

The heat was linked by meteorologists to a “heat dome,” in which atmospheric conditions trap and intensify hot air. Parts of the Southwest were forecast to reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service. AP also reported that Rapid City, South Dakota, recorded an all-time high of 112 degrees on Saturday, and that a horse race at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota, was canceled Sunday because of the conditions.

In Omaha, Nebraska, outreach workers with the homeless services network Threshold CoC were distributing water as humidity and heat made outdoor exposure dangerous, AP reported. National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Oravec said the center of the heat was expected to shift south early in the week, with some temporary relief for the central U.S. around midweek, though high temperatures could return by the weekend.

The same weather pattern was also contributing to storm risks along the upper edge of the heat dome, including possible severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and hail near the Great Lakes, with the threat expected to move east. Authorities urged people, especially children, older adults and those with medical conditions, to use air conditioning or cooling centers, stay hydrated and limit direct sun exposure.