From coast to coast, the American heat wave threatens to tighten its grip

About 100 million Americans, living from New York to Las Vegas, will see dangerous heat indices well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C) and be covered by heat warnings and advisories all day, said the National Weather Service (NWS). He advised people to stay indoors, avoid strenuous activity and stay hydrated with plenty of fluids.

“Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outdoors. If possible, move strenuous activities to early morning or evening,” he said in an advisory for Dallas, where the maximum temperature is expected to reach 112 degrees.

Temperatures are expected to break daily records in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas on Wednesday, the agency said.

Air pollution is another health risk during the heat wave. Electricity grid pollution can more than double when power plants operate at full capacity during sweltering heat.

In New England, carbon dioxide production rose to 123 tons per hour just before 8 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. That was more than double the hourly rate earlier in the day (4 a.m. EDT) of just 58 tons, according to estimates from ISO New England, the grid operator for the six-state area.

Texas-based grid operator ERCOT this week called on state environmental regulators to exercise discretion when power plants exceed pollution limits. The Texas grid needs plants running at full capacity to handle record power demand in the region’s extreme heat.

To provide relief to air-conditioned residents, New York City opened cooling centers in libraries, community centers and other city buildings and extended the hours of operation at public swimming pools. The highest temperature is expected to reach 99 degrees on Wednesday in the country’s most populous city.

The excessive heat in the United States follows a heat wave in Europe this week that sparked wildfires and set record high temperatures. It is a kind of weather event that scientists believe will become more frequent due to climate change.