An unprecedented run of record heat and humidity is suffocating population centers along the Gulf Coast, tied to water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico that have climbed to the highest levels ever observed. The extra-hot waters are of particular concern with the approach of the peak weeks of hurricane season, which forecasters now say will be busier than normal.

It’s so hot and humid in Louisiana that Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) declared a state of emergency across all of its parishes late Monday. A spike in heat-related emergency room visits, growing drought and the relentless swelter were cited as rationale for the declaration.

The heat extends across the entire Gulf Coast. Both Houston and New Orleans posted their hottest periods ever observed over the last week, while most locations in Florida are experiencing their hottest August on record.

Heat alerts on Tuesday stretched from South Texas to Florida before swelling north into the Carolinas and Southeast Virginia. About 27 million people are under excessive heat warnings, with an additional 60 million under heat advisories…Source – Read More!