Oppressive heat wave hits US East Coast ahead of World Cup and July 4 celebrations

Authorities urged people to stay cool as extreme heat threatened power grids, outdoor celebrations and World Cup matches.

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Blistering temperatures and humidity gripped swaths of the United States (US) on Wednesday, with the worst yet to come for the densely populated East Coast as the nation co-hosts the World Cup and prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday. "Heat dome" conditions -- in which high-pressure systems trap warm air like the lid on a pot -- persisted over the Midwest and South and were moving east, with some 46 million people under heat alerts. "We are entering what could be the most extreme heat wave this city has seen in over a decade," New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a video, adding he wanted people to stay safe while watching the World Cup, celebrating the Fourth of July or -- he joked -- "renting out MSG to get married, hypothetically." Pop superstar Taylor Swift is rumoured to have rented Manhattan's famed Madison Square Garden venue for her wedding to American football star Travis Kelce. New York has designated hundreds of public buildings as cooling centres, extended public swimming pool hours, dispatched volunteers to check on vulnerable residents, and opened "pop-up" cooling stations with misting fans and wet towels. In the Midwestern city of Chicago, the energy grid was under "critical strain," utility ComEd said as air conditioning usage surged. "Raise your thermostat as high as is comfortably safe," the company urged, while calling on residents to delay using laundry, dishwashers and electric vehicle chargers until after 8:00 pm. More frequent, longer-lasting and more intense heat waves are one of the clearest signs of climate change, with Europe also recently hard hit. Global average surface temperatures have risen roughly 2.5F above pre-industrial averages as a result of human-caused climate change, mainly driven by the burning of fossil fuels. From Thursday, the US capital Washington is forecast to have three consecutive days above 100F (38 C) -- the highest on Friday, when the mercury could touch 104F. If the forecast bears out, the city's daily heat records would be broken each day, while Washington's all-time high temperature of 106F could also be in danger. The heat comes as the nation prepares to celebrate on Saturday the 250th anniversary of its independence from Britain, with fireworks set to light up the skies over major cities, including New York and Washington. Fireworks trigger spikes in harmful fine particulate matter that cause respiratory issues, with the combined effects of heat and smoke amplifying health impacts. Jaden Martin, a 22-year-old who works in marketing and hails from the southwestern state of Arizona, told AFP he was visiting the capital to accompany his girlfriend who was attending a mathematics conference. "We're good with the heat, but the humidity is a different beast," he said as he wheeled his rental bicycle along a section of the National Mall crowded with tourists. Teachers Cecile Hansen and Peter Helmkamp, who had travelled from Miami, Florida, to attend the "Great American State Fair" recommended fans, sunblock, visors, and dipping into air-conditioned cafes every 20 minutes. "Drink lots of water and try to freeze a bottle of water before you come out," added Hansen, 50, who was carrying a handheld electric fan. Meanwhile, football's World Cup is taking place under punishing conditions. A high of 102F is forecast for Saturday's clash between Paraguay and France in Philadelphia, where the game will be played in an open-air stadium, unlike some World Cup venues which are air-conditioned. This edition of the World Cup requires players to take a three-minute "hydration break" every half.

Blistering temperatures and humidity gripped swaths of the United States on Wednesday, with the worst yet to come for the densely populated East Coast as the nation co-hosts the World Cup and prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday.

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) -- Blistering temperatures and humidity gripped swaths of the United States on Wednesday, with the worst yet to come for the densely populated East Coast as the nation co-hosts the World Cup and prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday. "Heat dome" conditions -- in which high-pressure systems trap warm air over a region like the lid on a pot -- persisted over the Midwest and South and were moving to the east, with some 46 million people currently under heat alerts. "We are entering what could be the most extreme heat wave this city has seen in over a decade," New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a video, adding that he wanted to make sure people stayed safe while watching the World Cup, celebrating July Fourth "or, renting out MSG to get married, hypothetically." Pop superstar Taylor Swift is widely believed to have rented Manhattan's iconic Madison Square Garden venue for her weekend wedding to American football star Travis Kelce. New York has designated hundreds of public buildings as cooling centers, extended public swimming pool hours, dispatched volunteers to check on vulnerable residents, and opened "pop up" cooling stations with misting fans and wet towels. More frequent, longer-lasting and more intense heat waves are one of the clearest signs of climate change, with Europe also recently hard hit. Global average surface temperatures have risen roughly 2.3F above pre-industrial averages as a result of human-caused climate change, mainly driven by the burning of fossil fuels. From Thursday, the US capital Washington is forecast to have three consecutive days above 100F (38 C) -- the highest on Friday, when the mercury could touch 104F. If the forecast bears out, the city's daily heat records would be broken each day, while Washington's all-time high temperature of 106F could also be in danger. The heat comes as the nation prepares to celebrate on Saturday the 250th anniversary of its independence from Britain, with fireworks set to light up the skies over major cities, including New York and Washington. Fireworks trigger spikes in harmful fine particulate matter that cause respiratory issues, with the combined effects of heat and smoke amplifying health impacts. Meanwhile, football's World Cup is taking place under punishing conditions. A high of 102F is forecast for Saturday's clash between Paraguay and France in Philadelphia, where the game will be played in an open-air stadium, unlike other World Cup venues which are air-conditioned. This edition of the World Cup requires players to take a three-minute "hydration break" every half -- with Saturday's searing temperatures, the breaks will be much-needed to stave off heat illness.

Tens of millions of Americans sweltered under furnace-like temperatures Tuesday as central and eastern cities hunkered down for a heat wave set to last through the July 4 holiday weekend. Dozens of local temperature records could be broken, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned, with temperatures in many places to surpass 38 degrees Celsius and high humidity pushing the heat index as high as 115 degrees. It comes as America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence, and as the United States along with Canada and Mexico co-host the World Cup soccer tournament amid the extreme heat. Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, announced it was opening cooling centers and sending city employees to carry out wellness checks on vulnerable populations. In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office said it was launching an “unprecedented, historic” plan to deal with the heat that includes vans to provide residents with hydration, as well as “pop-up” cooling stations with misting fans and cooling towels. People cool off at Coney Island beach on June 29, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. — AFP Washington, the capital, meanwhile was forecast to see 38C temperatures from Thursday through Saturday, when it will host a fireworks display on the National Mall that organizers said would be the biggest in history. More than 60 million people are currently under heat alerts, the NWS said. Health agencies are urging citizens to watch for signs of heat-related illness, ranging from cramps and exhaustion to life-threatening heat stroke. Child hot-car deaths are another concern, with nine such deaths reported so far this year in the United States, against an average of 37 annually, according to the National Safety Council. Pets are also at risk, with authorities recommending dogs remain indoors except for bathroom breaks, and warning owners to watch for hot asphalt that can burn paws. In World Cup news, numerous knockout-stage matches will be played under oppressive heat, including France v Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium and Norway v Cote d’Ivoire in Dallas on Tuesday. The weather has already had an impact: France was forced to sit through a two-hour storm delay during its group-phase match against Iraq. Two group-stage matches were played in temperatures exceeding the threshold at which the global players’ union recommends games be postponed or delayed, while dozens of fans have been treated for heat illness in Houston and Miami.