Authorities urged people to stay cool as extreme heat threatened power grids, outdoor celebrations and World Cup matches.
Mickelina Papotto, of Salem, Ore., left, and Lorie Odegaard, of Gaithersburg, Md., fan themselves while waiting in line for the ferris wheel at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Wednesday, Jul 1, 2026, in Washington. (Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
04 Jul 2026 05:13AM
WASHINGTON: A brutal heatwave hit peak temperatures across the eastern United States on Friday (Jul 3), straining power grids, threatening World Cup matches and playing havoc with celebrations for America's 250th independence anniversary.With the heat index threatening to top 115F (46C), records could be broken in New York City, as extreme heat warnings blanketed the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.Combined with very humid air, the "feels like" temperature could reach 105F in Boston, 112F in Philadelphia, and 113F in Washington."Numerous daily temperature records are expected today and Independence Day, with some consecutive-day, monthly, and all-time records possible," the National Weather Service said.Hang Dang, a 76-year-old retiree, was not letting extreme temperatures deter her from attending celebrations in Washington for the 250th July Fourth anniversary."I came to the US in 1975 from Vietnam and ... I was here for the bicentennial," Dang told AFP, noting she drove 12 hours from Florida to attend festivities."I said I've got to get back for the 250th because I don't think I'll make it to the 300th!" she joked as a Marine Corps Osprey aircraft hovered nearby.In New York, the most populous US city, Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to "stay cool, stay vigilant and check in on your neighbors."The city has transformed hundreds of public buildings into cooling centers, dispatched volunteers to check on vulnerable citizens, and extended the hours of swimming pools across the city.
