The 1995 Chicago heat wave was a heat wave which led to approximately 750 heat-related deaths in Chicago over a period of five days.Eric Klinenberg, author of the 2002 book Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago, has noted that in the United States, the loss of human life in hot spells in summer exceeds that caused by all other weather events combined, including lightning, rain, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. The heat wave heavily impacted the wider Midwestern region, with additional deaths in both St. Louis, Missouri and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well.
The temperatures soared to record highs in July with the hottest weather occurring from July 12 to July 16. The high of 106 °F (41 °C) on July 13 was the second warmest July temperature (warmest being 110 °F (43 °C) set on July 23, 1934) since records began at Chicago Midway International Airport in 1928. Nighttime low temperatures were unusually high; in the upper 70s and lower 80s °F (about 26 °C)—as well. Record humidity levels also accompanied the hot weather. The heat index reached 119 °F (48 °C) at O'Hare airport, and 125 °F (52 °C) at Midway Airport.
Chicago (i/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ or /ʃɪˈkɔːɡoʊ/) is the largest city in the US state of Illinois and the third most populous city in the United States after New York City and Los Angeles. The city has around 2.7 million residents. Its metropolitan area, sometimes called "Chicagoland", is the third largest in the United States, with an estimated 9.8 million people. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County, though a small portion also extends into DuPage County.
Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837, near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed. Today, Chicago is listed as an alpha+ global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, and ranks seventh in the world on the 2012 Global Cities Index. The city retains its status as an international hub for finance, industry, telecommunications and infrastructure, with O'Hare International Airport being the second busiest airport in the world in terms of traffic movements. In 2008[update], the city hosted 45.6 million domestic and overseas visitors. Among metropolitan areas, Chicago has the 4th largest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the world, ranking just behind Tokyo, New York City, and Los Angeles. Chicago is one of the most important Worldwide Centers of Commerce and trade.
A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity. There is no universal definition of a heat wave; the term is relative to the usual weather in the area and relative to normal temperatures for the season. Temperatures that people from a hotter climate consider normal can be termed a heat wave in a cooler area if they are outside the normal climate pattern for that area. The term is applied both to routine weather variations and to extraordinary spells of heat which may occur only once a century. Severe heat waves have caused catastrophic crop failures, thousands of deaths from hyperthermia, and widespread power outages due to increased use of air conditioning.
The definition recommended by the World Meteorological Organization is when the daily maximum temperature of more than five consecutive days exceeds the average maximum temperature by 5 °C (9 °F), the normal period being 1961–1990.
A formal, peer-reviewed definition from the Glossary of Meteorology is:
We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The temperature's rising,
It isn't surprising,
She certainly can can-can.
She started a heat wave
By letting her seat wave
In such a way that
The customers say that
She certainly can can-can.
Gee, her anatomy
Makes the mercury
Jump to ninety-three.
We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The way that she moves
That thermometer proves
We’re having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The temperature’s rising,
It isn’t surprising,
She certainly can can-can.
She started a heat wave
By letting her seat wave
In such a way that
The customers say that
She certainly can can-can.
Gee, her anatomy
Makes the mercury
Jump to ninety-three.
We’re having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The way that she moves
That thermometer proves
That she certainly can can-can.
Whenever I'm with him
Something inside starts to burning
And I'm filled with desire
Could it be the devil in me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be?
It's like a heat wave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from crying
It's tearing me apart
Whenever he calls my name
Soft, low, sweet and plain, I feel, yeah yeah
Well I feel that burning flame
Has high blood pressure got a hold on me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be?
It's like a heat wave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from crying
It's tearing me apart
Sometimes I stare into space
Tears all over my face
I can't explain it don't understand it
I hadn't ever felt like this before
Now that funny feeling has me amazed
I don't know what to do my head's in a haze
It's like a heat wave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from crying
It's tearing me apart
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah, oh oh
Yeah yeah yeah yeah, oh
Don't pass up this chance
This time it's true romance
Heat wave
Heat wave
Heat wave
Heat wave
Heat wave
Whenever I'm with you
Something inside
Starts to burn deep
And my heart's filled with fire
Could be that I'm very sentimental
Or is this just the way love's supposed to be?
[chorus:]
I got a heat wave
Burning in my heart
I can't keep from crying
Tearing me apart
Sometimes she calls my name
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can't explain
I feel, yeah I feel
I feel this burning flame
This high blood pressure's got a hold on me
'Cause this is the way love's supposed to be
[chorus]
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Just give me another chance
This could be a new romance
Heat wave
Heat wave
Heat wave
Heat wave
Heat wave
Heat wave
Whenever I'm with you
Something inside
Starts to burn deep
And my heart's filled with fire
Could be that I'm very sentimental
Or is this just the way love's supposed to be?
I got a heat wave
Burning in my heart
I can't keep from crying
Tearing me apart
Sometimes she calls my name
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can't explain
I feel, yeah I feel
I feel this burning flame
This high blood pressure's got a hold on me
'Cause this is the way love's supposed to be
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Just give me another chance
This could be a new romance
Heat wave
Heat wave
Heat wave
We're havin a heat wave
A tropical heat wave
The temperatures rising, it isn't suprising
She certainly can, can can!
She started a heatwave
By letting her seat wave,
in such a way that the customers say
that she certainly can, can-can!
Gee, Gee!
Her anatomy
Makes the mercury
Rise!
to ninety three
We're havin' a heat wave
A tropical heat wave
The way that she moves
The thermometor proves
You come closer still
Closer now, closer till
I can feel you and what you do
It's nothing like real life
Don't you know I keep trying
To keep it cool as ice
But I'm melting, oh yes I'm melting
Whenever you're around you hit baby
I'm hit baby
Whenever you're around you hit baby
I'm hit baby
I run right up dimension 2
I run with you
I don't know how
To stop it now
It's nothing like real life
Don't you know I keep trying
To keep it cool as ice
Heat Wave
Linda Ronstadt
Whenever I'm with him
Something inside
Starts to burnin'
And I'm filled with desire
Could it be the devil in me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Whenever he calls my name
So slow, sweet and plain
I feel, yeah, yeah, well I feel that burning flame
Has my blood pressure got a hold on me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Sometimes I stare in space
Tears all over my face
I can't explain it, don't understand it
I 'ain't never felt like this before
But that doesn't mean it has me amazed
I don't know what to do, my head's in a haze
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Don't pass up this chance
This time it's a true romance
Heatwave
Heat Wave
Ethel Waters
Were having a Heat Wave,
A tropical Heat Wave.
The tempratures rising,
It isnt surprising.
She certainly can, can-can.
She started the Heat Wave
By letting her seat wave.
And in such a way
That the customers say
That she certainly can, can-can.
Gee her anatomy, made the mercury
Jump to ninety three. yes sir!
Were having a Heat Wave,
A tropical Heat Wave.
The way that she moves
That thermometer proves
That she certainly can, can-can.
We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The temperature's rising,
It isn't surprising,
She certainly can can-can.
She started a heat wave
By letting her seat wave
In such a way that
The customers say that
She certainly can can-can.
Gee, her anatomy
Makes the mercury
Jump to ninety-three.
We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The way that she moves
That thermometer proves
Heat Wave
Linda Ronstadt
Whenever I'm with him
Something inside
Starts to burnin'
And I'm filled with desire
Could it be the devil in me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Whenever he calls my name
So slow, sweet and plain
I feel, yeah, yeah, well I feel that burning flame
Has my blood pressure got a hold on me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Sometimes I stare in space
Tears all over my face
I can't explain it, don't understand it
I 'ain't never felt like this before
But that doesn't mean it has me amazed
I don't know what to do, my head's in a haze
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Don't pass up this chance
This time it's a true romance
Heatwave
A heat wave blew right into town last week
She came from the island of Martinique
The can-can she dances will make you fry
The can-can is really the reason why
We're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave
The temp'rature's rising, it isn't surprising
She certainly can can-can
She started the heat wave by letting her seat wave
And in such a way that the customers say that
She certainly can can-can
Gee
Her anatomy
Made the mercury
Jump to ninety-three
Yes, sir!
We're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave
The way that she moves that thermometer proves that
She certainly can can-can
[patter:]
It's so hot the weather man will tell you a record's been made
It's so hot a coat of tan will cover your face in the shade
It's so hot the coldest maiden feels just as warm as a bride
It's so hot a chicken laid an egg on the street and it fried
[alternate lines:]
She started the heat wave by letting her feet wave
It's so hot a hefty maiden lost twenty pounds from each side
Whenever I'm with him
Something inside
Starts to burnin'
And I'm filled with desire
Could it be the devil in me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Whenever he calls my name
So slow, sweet and plain
I feel, yeah, yeah, well I feel that burning flame
Has my blood pressure got a hold on me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Sometimes I stare in space
Tears all over my face
I can't explain it, don't understand it
I 'ain't never felt like this before
But that doesn't mean it has me amazed
I don't know what to do, my head's in a haze
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Don't pass up this chance
This time it's a true romance