A record-breaking heatwave spread across the eastern U.S. on Wednesday (1 July), placing tens of millions of people under heat alerts just days before the country's 250th Independence Day celebrations.
Forecasters warned "real-feel" temperatures could reach between 38C and 46C across parts of the Midwest, Northeast and South, increasing the risk of heat-related illness and adding pressure to already strained power grids.
In Chicago, officials urged residents to check on elderly relatives and vulnerable neighbours, while in New York City, hundreds of cooling centres were opened and "cool vans" were deployed with water, meals and medical supplies.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city had also extended public pool opening hours and expanded outreach to homeless residents.
Energy providers in New York urged customers to reduce electricity use during peak hours, as rising demand for air conditioning added to wider pressure on the electricity grid.
The extreme heat is expected to persist into the 4 July holiday weekend, when Americans will mark the nation's 250th anniversary with large-scale celebrations.
The White House's Freedom 250 Commission has planned what organisers say could become the world's largest fireworks display, with more than 860,000 fireworks set to be launched in Washington.
The 40-minute "Salute to America" show is expected to be the centrepiece of the celebrations, despite concerns over the weather and public safety in the intense heat.
The U.S. heatwave mirrors deadly conditions in western Europe, where extreme temperatures have already claimed more than 1,000 lives in Spain. Scientists say such heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more intense because of human-driven climate change fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions.
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