Eastern US Cities Set or Tie Temperature Records as Heat Wave Continues into Holiday Weekend

A multi-day heat wave is affecting the eastern United States, with at least 20 locations breaking or tying daily temperature records on Thursday. Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston are forecast to reach highs near or above 100 degrees on Friday, Cnn reported.

Heat index values are expected to climb to 107 degrees in Washington and New York City, 110 in Philadelphia and 106 in Boston.

The heat wave stems from a strong heat dome over the Northeast. World Weather Attribution published a finding on Friday that the intensity of the current heat and humidity would have been virtually impossible without fossil fuel pollution. Friederike Otto stated that when a historic Fourth of July celebration is disrupted and World Cup matches are played in unsafe conditions, it should not take another scientific study to wake people up.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright directed data centers in the mid-Atlantic on Tuesday to use backup power supplies instead of the public grid served by PJM, the country’s largest electrical grid operator covering 13 states. More than 19,000 Con Edison customers in the New York City metro area and upstate New York lost power on Thursday.

Con Edison is reducing voltage in parts of the Bronx and Manhattan and asking customers to limit air conditioner use.

Washington, DC, has activated an extreme heat alert through July 5 and is expanding cooling centers and hydration stations. New York City opened hundreds of cooling centers and deployed mobile medical vans, with more than 2,200 LinkNYC kiosks showing directions to the nearest center.

Philadelphia declared a heat health emergency through Saturday evening, shortened its Fourth of July parade route and moved a ceremony featuring a live virtual address from the pope indoors.