Dangerous heatwave scorches US ahead of Fourth of July holiday
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ByAna Faguy and Darren Bett, Lead Weather PresenterPublished2 July 2026, 19:56 BSTUpdated Just nowMillions of people across the US East Coast are enduring dangerous heat and humidity, with temperatures expected to reach and stay at 38C (100F) for several days.
The National Weather Service has warned that the heat index - a measure of how hot it feels based on temperature and humidity - could reach as high as 115F in cities such as Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York over the 4 July weekend. The soaring temperatures are raising concerns as President Donald Trump hosts a celebration marking America's 250th birthday and multiple World cup matches take place outdoors. The heatwave follows an unprecedented spell of early summer heat across Europe, with record highs across the continent.
The stifling heat that has been blasting the Midwest will intensify into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states on Thursday and Friday. Extreme heat warnings continued on Thursday from the Midwest to the Northeast. "This level of rare and long-duration heat, with little or no overnight relief, affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration," the National Weather Service said in a warning.
By 9:00 EST (14:00 GMT) on Thursday, temperatures were already close to 90F in Washington and New York City. Maximum temperatures could hit 100F in New York Central Park on Thursday and Friday. This would be the first time in 12 years that New York has been this hot.
"My recommendation to all New Yorkers is to stay inside and stay cool," New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani warned at a press conference, "and if you happen to be getting married at Madison Square Garden, you will be staying inside and you will be staying cool, and I think it's a good example to set for the city at large."
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