Heat wave 2024 map: Live CDC tool lets you see health risks in your area today and all week

Much of America is going to be blistering under an extreme heat wave this week. The heat wave began over the weekend and before the week is out, many cities across America may see temperatures rise and stay at levels they have not experienced in three decades.



The immediate culprit behind this week’s extreme heat wave is a heat dome that has settled itself over a large part of America from the Midwest to the Northeast, according to CNN. A heat dome is a massive pocket of air that parks in place for a long period of time. Because it is relatively static, the sun’s rays help to increasingly heat up the parked air, leading to higher temperatures.



But while the heat dome is the immediate culprit of this week’s heat wave, extreme weather events like this one are being propelled by climate change, making them occur more frequently and at greater intensity.



This week’s heat dome has the potential to make you feel more than hot, however. Extreme heat can be deadly, particularly for people who are elderly or have chronic medical conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also says heat can have negative health impacts on women who are pregnant and children and teens with asthma worse.



CDC HeatRisk map and forecast



In order to help assess your heat risk, the CDC has released a HeatRisk map tool that tells you the level of risk in your area today and throughout the week. Simply enter your zip code and select your location from a dropdown list.



In the results, you will see a colored heat risk dial for today, with the color purpose being the highest risk level—extreme. The CDC says that an “extreme” level “affects everyone, as the heat is very intense and can last for a long time.” However, even lower levels can be risks to people’s health.



A screenshot shows the tool’s projections for Friday, June 21. [Image: CDC]



Below the dial, the CDC also shows you a forecast for the heat level in your area for the rest of the week, as well as a map of America that shows a heat map for the entire country based on the day, which you can select from a drop-down menu. 



The tool uses data from NOAA and the National Weather Service.



How to stay safe



The CDC’s tool offers tips on how people can help stay safe during the heat wave. For example, the advice it gives for people in St. Louis—which it says has an “extreme” HeatRisk warning—is to stay hydrated and cool, noting that “Staying cool on these days likely requires staying inside with air conditioning if possible.”



It also notes that fans may not cool you off on a day as hot as today. And if you do need to be outside, you should stay in the shade as much as possible, do outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day, and take breaks when you can.



It’s also a good idea to check on family, friends, and neighbors, especially if they live alone or have chronic medical conditions, the CDC adds.



The agency also warns people to keep an eye on their pets.



Finally, the CDC says that if you don’t have air conditioning, you may want to consider going to a cooling center in your area, which many cities that are experiencing the heat wave have opened up. You can find links to lists of cooling centers in your state here .