Heat wave spreads across US:

Discovery

Call it the United Sweats of America. A heat wave spreading across the country is leaving few places to hide. Not even the cool of night.

By Friday afternoon, all but one of the Lower 48 states had hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) somewhere, with only Washington state around for cooler comfort. For much of the country, it was expected to get even worse over the weekend.

“It’s just day after day. Merciless,” said Jeff Masters, meteorology director of the private Weather Underground. “We don’t often see this much of the country this hot for this length of time.”

And while the extra hot weather will ease a bit next week for good chunks of the country, the temperature forecast for the next three months isn’t exactly promising, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

For the first time in more than 20 years, the Climate Prediction Center map is shades of one color: orange for above normal temperatures.

The map usually varies, showing places where there is a greater chance for above or below normal temperatures or equal chances. But the outlook for August, September and October is for above normal everywhere.

Center climate scientist Dan Collins said the center’s archives go back to 1995 and they’ve never seen this for the entire United States — including Alaska and Hawaii. That doesn’t mean a three-month heat wave, just on average warmer than normal temperatures through October.

“Unusual indeed,” Collins said. “But maybe less so as the years pass.” (AP)