Central and Eastern United States under heat advisories

Much of the Central and Southeastern united States is suffering from dangerous heat prompting heat advisories and warnings as the heat index surges into the triple digits widespread.

The entire state of Missouri is currently under a heat advisory lasting at least into this evening as the heat index has reached up to 110 degrees in some areas.

Various states have seen the heat index top out surpassing the 100 degree mark.

The reasoning behind the widespread dangerous heat is due to a high pressure system over the Gulf of Mexico which pulls lower level winds north across the Midwest and South Central United States. A separate high pressure system towards Eastern Tennessee feeds this same airmass even further east covering much of the east coast.

Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is pulled through Texas and to the northeast increasing the humidity over the eastern half of the United States paring with the warmer air temperatures. This causes the high heat index values leading to decreased rates of evaporation of sweat increasing the likely hood of heat illnesses.