Forecasters predicted on Monday that the heat waves that roasted the central section of the United States the previous week would begin migrating east, bringing with them very hazardous temperatures.
From the Mediterranean to the Upper Midwest, the National Weather Service advised people in the United States to take precautions on days with temperatures that are no higher than average, near-record, or even record highs.
In an alert, the agency said that the extreme heat will continue to be a topic of discussion in the news.
Temperatures in the high 90s Fahrenheit (mid 30s Celsius) are expected to reach elevations as the scorching blast begins to move east Tuesday towards the area of the Great Lakes. This is up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than average.
When heat waves swept across the Upper Midwest and Southeast last week, almost 120 million individuals were advised to take some kind of preventative measure.
It was caused by what meteorologists referred to as a high pressure dome, and it was surrounded by a ring of very violent weather, including thunderstorms, flash floods, and heavy rains.
Last week, Yellowstone National Park, the oldest national park in the United States, was forced to shut due to major flood damage, which resulted in the washing away of roadways.
The river is flooded for just a few days at a time by the heavy rain and snow that falls. The expansive park is located almost entirely inside the state of Wyoming and is most famous for housing the Old Faithful geyser.
The rescue of roughly 90 persons required the deployment of helicopters.
The park has announced that the southern area will return to visitors on Wednesday, but the remaining sections will remain closed for the remainder of the season, according to park authorities.
At the same time that the heat was scorching the southwest, a wildfire was burning its way up the mountains in Arizona. Four buildings at the Kitt Peak National Observatory were consumed by the blaze, but according to officials, those buildings did not contain any telescopes or other scientific equipment.
“This is the most frightening fire that I recall at Kitt’s Peak in the previous 25 years,” said Buell Jannuzi, who headed the University of Arizona majoring in astronomy, according to ABC News. Jannuzi was the leader of the astronomy department at the University of Arizona.
The National Science Foundation manages the observatory, and the institution now leases space there.
Officials reported that the fire was raging across Wharton State Forest, which is located in the northwestern part of the state of New Jersey.
The New Jersey State Fire Service in the Forests On Monday, he reported that the blaze, which had begun on Sunday, had spread over 7,200 acres (2,900 hectares) and was only 45 percent controlled.
He said that 18 buildings were endangered, but there were no reports of any injuries.
During the summer months in the United States, wildfires are rather prevalent in the western portion of the nation, although they do occur sometimes in the east.