A prolonged period of unusually hot, midsummer heat and humidity is currently affecting large parts of the United States, with the event forecasted to last from July 21 to 25 and likely beyond. This heatwave began in the Southeast and is expected to expand into the mid-South and Midwest through late July. According to analysis, climate change has made this excessive heat at least three times more likely for nearly 160 million people, approximately half the U.S. population. Triple-digit highs (100°F or higher) are forecast for Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, northern Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. The lower Midwest could see highs in the mid-to-upper 90s, with similar temperatures reaching the Northeast by late week. High humidity will push heat index values to 105–110°F in parts of the Central Plains, Midwest, and Mississippi and Ohio valleys. Nights will remain warm, with lows possibly 5–15°F above average, threatening new records in several southern states[1].
Severe weather warnings are active in several states, including recent tornado warnings in Wisconsin and Iowa, and severe thunderstorm warnings and flash flood warnings in Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Kansas. The severity of these events is corroborated by live meteorological tracking and broadcasts, with a damaging wind and hail risk for Michigan highlighted as of July 24[4][6].
Globally, the July–September 2025 outlook reports that neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions should persist, with sea-surface temperature indices for the Niño regions and both the Indian and Atlantic Ocean Dipole indices forecast to remain near average. Despite neutral ENSO, most global land areas are expected to experience above-normal temperatures due to widespread warm sea-surface temperatures, with a notable exception in the near-equatorial central Pacific[5].
Other significant recent events include Deadly floods in Asia, especially monsoon-driven flooding in India and Pakistan, where extraordinary rainfall has caused landslides, destroyed homes, and disrupted transportation. Pakistan declared a state of emergency in the hardest-hit regions. South Korea experienced record-breaking rainfall from July 16–20, resulting in at least 18 fatalities and mass evacuations. Southern China was also hit by flash flood and landslide alerts following Typhoon Wipha’s passage, and central Texas faced a flash flood event earlier in July[7].
References
- [1] Climate change intensifies midsummer U.S. heatwave for millions
- [4] Severe Weather Warnings Page – College of DuPage
- [5] Global Seasonal Climate Update for July-August-September 2025
- [6] Michigan Severe Weather Coverage – July 24th, 2025 – YouTube
- [7] Deadly floods show need for faster, wider warnings, UN agency says
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