U.S. sees growing spike in heat-related deaths

(CNN, KYMA/KECY) - Heat-related deaths in the United States (U.S.) have been steadly increasing for years.

A new study in the medical journal "Jama" shows a 117% spike from 1999 to 2023.

More than 21,000 people died during that period, with a disproportionate number of deaths recorded in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas.

Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers found the annual number of deaths varied from year to year before 2016. But since 2016, deaths have increased by nearly 17% each year.

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), extreme heat is the number one weather-related killer in the U.S.

This study comes as more than 50 million people are under heat alerts Monday, mainly across the Midwest.

Several cities could see temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above average for several days.

The heat will then shift to the mid-Atlantic and southeast later this week as a cold front moves in.