Heat waves, drought, massive storms. The bad news just keeps coming and there's no denying these issues are anxiety-provoking. If you feel that way, you're not alone.
From Arizona to Washington state, forecasters warn of "possibly record breaking" heat with little relief overnight, lasting past Labor Day. California may need to ask residents to conserve power.
Climate change is making heat waves more frequent and intense. With much of the U.S. facing a weekend of extreme temperatures, here are some tips for protecting yourself and your loved ones.
Earlier this year, there had been warnings that supply during peak summer hours might not meet demand. But there have been no reports yet of widespread outages.
"We're used to treating hot spells as a chance to go play in the sun," said a top government scientist. "Our lifestyles and our infrastructure are not adapted to what is coming."
Created by researchers at the nonprofit Climate Central, the Climate Shift Index teases out the effect of climate change on daily temperatures all over the U.S., showing how the burning of fossil fuels has boosted the odds of any given daily high and low temperatures.
People are flocking to pools, beaches and cooling centers in a swath of the Midwest and South spanning from northern Florida to the Great Lakes, as a heat wave pushed temperatures into the 90s and beyond.
Temperatures will rise into the triple digits across the Southwest and western U.S. this weekend. Daytime temps will be 10 to 20 degrees hotter than normal, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service predicts areas on the East Coast could reach 100 degrees Thursday, with triple-digit temperatures in the Pacific Northwest, too. Relief isn't expected until the weekend.
There's been about two degrees Fahrenheit of warming so far worldwide. That may sound like a small number, but scientists say it's enough to make extreme weather events much more common.
With much of the U.S. already sweltering this summer, even avid runners, hikers and bikers are wilting. We've got 10 strategies from experts on how to enjoy hot weather exercise without keeling over.