Overview

• Nearly 160 million people across 29 states are under heat warnings with record-breaking temperatures enveloping the eastern US.
• Tuesday is forecast to be the peak of the heat wave with major cities such as New York, Philadelphia and Washington bracing for triple-digit highs.
• Mayors have declared heat emergencies and opened hundreds of cooling centers to protect elderly residents and other at-risk groups from perilous heat indexes exceeding 115°F. Con Edison reported thousands of power outages, Amtrak imposed speed restrictions and roads buckled in the Upper Midwest as infrastructure strained under relentless heat.
• Gradual relief is expected by Thursday, with high temperatures and humidity lingering into the weekend and posing ongoing health risks.