According to the Bisbee Daily Review today, the heat wave that has gripped this country from the Great Plains to the East Coast has claimed the lives of at least 500 people, with at least 1,000 more hospitalized from heat-related symptoms. The current wave began on July 1 and is only today expected to abate somewhat, with cooler temperatures definitely coming to the eastern seaboard tomorrow. The torrid wave has led to numerous record high temperatures throughout the country, such as 108° F at street level in Chicago, 110° F in Lincoln, Neb., 113° F in Junction City, Kan., 95° F in Boston, 92° F in New York City, 108° F in Concordia, Kan, and 98° F in Washington, D.C.
At least 431 people have died from heat exhaustion so far in this heat wave, with another 80 drowning in their attempt to beat the heat. The increased death rates in many cities have caused over-capacity at city morgues. In Chicago, Express Trains are being used as makeshift morgues to process the heat wave victims. This morning's New York Tribune reported that over 100 have died in that city from the heat wave so far with more expected today.
But all is not lost. Heavy rains in the Great Plains and Midwest have brought some relief to those regions and those storms are slowly making their way east, hopefully clearing out the high-pressure system by the weekend.
Link: Three are dead; Heat Wave End to Come Friday [The Washington Herald]
Link: Fourth Day of Heat is Marked by 43 Deaths [The New York Tribune]
Link: 500 Killed by Heat; 1,000 Prostrated; Others Driven Insane in Many Cities [The Bisbee Daily Review]
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