At least 13,000 Americans have died from the heat since 2018.
TO dangerous heat wave is bringing prolonged extreme heat to more than two dozen states across the Midwest, the South and the East Coast.
The heat wave began in the Midwest on Monday and has since spread east, where it’s set to last into the Fourth of July weekend.
A child cools off in a fountain at the Georgetown Waterfront Park on July 2, 2026 in Washington.
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With holiday travel in full effectAmtrak has canceled more than two dozen trains in the Northeast due to the heat.
On Thursday, the heat index — what temperature it feels like with humidity — hit a scorching 110 degrees in Philadelphia and 111 in Washington, DC
People cool off in a fountain at the Georgetown Waterfront Park, July 2, 2026 in Washington.
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New York City’s heat index reached 106 degrees on Thursday. The current temperature in Central Park hit 100 degrees, marking the first triple-digit day there since 2012.
New York City activated its heat emergency plan and officials opened hundreds of cooling centers.
The sun rises behind the skyline of midtown Manhattan, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building on a day with an extreme heat warning in New York City, July 2, 2026.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul are also urging New Yorkers to conserve power «due to the increase in energy demand and unexpected load challenges.»
«Proactively conserve electricity if safe to do so by setting air conditioning units between 75 – 78 degrees and avoiding unnecessary appliance use,» Hochul said.
«I thank New Yorkers for taking these steps to reduce their usage and helping us keep the power on and protect the most vulnerable in our community,» she said.
On Friday, the heat wave continues for the Northeast.
The heat index is forecast to climb to 104 degrees in Boston, 109 degrees in New York, 111 in Philadelphia and 113 in Washington, DC
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This heat wave provides minimal relief overnight, which makes it even more dangerous.
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On the Fourth of July on Saturdaythe Northeast will still feel like the triple digits, with the heat index expected to reach 102 degrees in New York and 108 in DC
Visitors react to the heat while attending the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, July 1, 2026, in Washington.
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By Sunday and Monday, the heat and humidity will settle over the Southeast. Raleigh, North Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, are expected to feel like 107 degrees on Sunday.
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Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the US At least 13,000 Americans have died from the heat since 2018, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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