Heat Wave Bakes 18 States
A dangerous heat wave baked a large swath of the nation Thursday from Texas to New York with high humidity making temperatures feel well over 100.
Football players moved practice sessions to evening hours and election officials in Tennessee touted air conditioned polling places to lure voters.
At least 13 deaths in Tennessee and Mississippi have been related to the recent stretch of steamy weather.
Heat advisories or warnings were in effect in 18 states Thursday, with temperatures in the mid to upper 90s and high humidity driving the heat index to more than 100.
The hottest air of the summer has moved into the mid-South, the National Weather Service said. Forecasters called the heat wave dangerous and urged people to avoid outdoor work, drink lots of liquids and stay cool.
Tennessee is holding state primary and local general elections, with highs forecast at 101 degrees in Memphis and 98 in Nashville. Election officials encouraged voters to turn out by stressing that ballot stations are air conditioned.
In Memphis, Mayor A C Wharton has urged people to be "nosy" and check in on their neighbors during the heat wave.
The city has set up four community centers as cooling centers for people without air conditioners, and the Shelby County Community Services Agency was to hand out 300 air conditioners.
This hasn't been the hottest summer on record for Washington, D.C., but it's been far more harsh than 2009, said weather service meteorologist Heather Sheffield. Last year, there were 22 days where temperatures hit 90 or higher.
"There already have been 45 days where temperatures hit at least 90 degrees this year," Sheffield said.
However, Sayed Arngbar said the heat doesn't bother him. He has operated a food cart on the corner of 14th and L streets in northwest Washington for 23 years.
"For me, it's not a problem. I have a fan, I have all the windows open," Arngbar said, standing inside his cart Thursday morning. "For some people it's just too hot, they don't work. If it's 100 degrees outside, it's 120 in here."
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
