Late June brought record-breaking temperatures to France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. The national weather service, DWD, reported that Germany had never experienced such intense heat for such a long stretch so early in the year.
Now, large parts of the central and eastern United States are also living under heat warnings heading into the July 4 holiday weekend, with extreme heat expected to push temperatures as high as 100 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8-46.1 C) across much of the region.
Outdoor workers are especially at risk during heat wavesImage: Benjamin Westhoff/dpa/picture alliance
A heat wave like this, with daytime temperatures well above 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) and nights when the thermometer doesn't drop below 20 C, places enormous strain on the human body. That is especially true for young children, pregnant women, older adults, people with underlying health conditions and those who perform physically demanding work or work outdoors.
Are people from hotter regions better able to cope with heat?
