Heat Wave Bakes 15 States

A record-breaking wall of summer warmth is rolling across the country, potentially posing a serious health risk, as soaring temperatures approach 105 F degrees in some locales.

Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma towns all saw previous records for heat get scorched by temperatures as high as 111 F in Wichita and 106 F degrees in storm-shattered Joplin, Missouri. Fifteen states in total are under heat advisories, meaning the temperature could rise to 105 F degrees or higher.

The heat wave raises risks of succumbing to heat exhaustion, particularly for the elderly -- a 51-year-old man in Granite City, Illinois died on Sunday. The intense heat is the latest extreme weather event in a summer that has seen devastating tornadoes and torrential floods thoughout the country.

The states under the heat advisory are: Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi.