A scorching heat wave is set to grip the East Coast and the Midwest until at least Friday, affecting over 76 million people who were under some level of heat alerts in states including Iowa and Maine.
Officials declared heat emergencies
Temperatures soared over 90 degrees Fahrenheit across much of the Northeast, with stifling humidity pushing the heat index even higher in cities like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Rochester, NY than in typically warmer places like San Antonio or Phoenix.
The oppressive heat is forecasted to shatter daily temperature records and affect Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, among other cities.
Certain areas in Maine experienced heat indices exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, marking an unusual and uncomfortable start to the summer.
Meteorologists caution that this early heatwave may foreshadow an exceptionally hot summer nationwide.
Concerns about public health and strained infrastructure have risen, prompting officials to open cooling centers and advise residents to stay indoors and take precautions against the extreme conditions.