State College, PA-(ENEWSPF)- AccuWeather.com reports a scorching heat wave is gripping much of the eastern two-thirds of the nation, setting an astonishing number of temperature records.
More than 3,000 temperature records have been shattered in the U.S. this past week, from June 28-July 4, 2012, according to NOAA. The tally of record high temperatures during the time period is 2,253, and the tally of maximum low temperature records is 936.
From July 1-July 4 alone, more than 1,000 record highs have fallen, while more than 600 maximum low temperature records have been broken.
Besides challenging daily records, some cities may have record streaks of high temperatures that will go down in the record books.
St. Louis is located in the heart of the heat wave. The mercury has soared to 100 degrees or higher for eight days in a row in St. Louis through July Fourth. If it hits 100 degrees through Friday, as expected, then it will be the second longest streak of 100-degree temperatures since 1936.
Detroit, which had a chance of coming close to the longest streak of 90-degree weather since 1953, fell shy of 90 on Thursday due to thunderstorms. However, temperatures will warm right back up to near 100 on Friday to end the work week.
