(The Hill) — The National Weather Service has issued advisories for millions of Americans this week as a heat wave creates warmer-than-usual temperatures in large areas of the United States.
At least 28 states issued heat warnings on Wednesday, as states such as Oklahoma and Texas recorded temperatures as high as 115 degrees.
Beyond the two states, areas in Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri all experienced temperatures more than 10 degrees above historical averages for this time of year, according to maps posted by Tropical Tidbits based on NWS data.
The data shows higher-than-average temperatures will continue hitting areas such as the Midwest into the weekend, when large temperature anomalies will move eastward and cause heat waves in the northeast and in states including Virginia, Maryland and Ohio.
NWS has issued a heat advisory for areas where more than 75 million Americans live as of Wednesday evening. More than 14 million Americans are under the more significant excessive heat warnings.
The excessive heat warnings include parts of Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
The heat advisories include areas like the southeast and much of the East Coast, including cities like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.
The advisories include parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
The United States isn’t the only country facing extreme heat. Parts of Europe are also facing a major heat wave, with countries including the United Kingdom forecasted to potentially see record temperatures this week.
President Biden on Wednesday traveled to a former coal plant in Somerset, Massachusetts, where he described climate change as an “emergency” but did not formally issue a national emergency on climate change after weighing the move.
“As president, I have a responsibility to act with urgency and resolve when our nation faces clear and present danger. And that is what climate change is about,” Biden said.