A heat wave is gripping much of the central and eastern parts of the United States, bringing dangerously hot and humid conditions with temperatures near 100 degrees from Texas to Florida and up to Maine.
Charlotte is no exception and is directly in its path. With heat indexes as high as 108 and overnight lows reaching 77 degrees, this is the first heat wave of the summer for Charlotte.
Extreme heat is responsible for an estimated 1,300 deaths each year in the U.S., according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Though Mecklenburg County is among the counties with the most heat-related deaths, but the county and state offer only limited resources to help residents stay cool. That's especially concerning overnight, when prolonged heat exposure can happen with low temperatures above 70 degrees.
We break down the science of heat waves and what’s behind the current scorcher in the city. We also examine its impact on physical health and get an update on how the local government has — and hasn't — responded to a troubling trend of extreme heat and increasingly hot days.
GUESTS:
Dr. Chris Branner, MD, MPH, FAAP, specialty medical director of urgent care services at Atrium Health
Brittany Van Voorhees, meteorologist for WCNC Charlotte
Zachary Turner, climate reporter and author of WFAE's Climate News newsletter
