Boston: A dangerous heat wave has struck the East Coast in the US, impacting cities with intense heat on Tuesday, with cooler conditions expected later this week.
According to Anadolu Agency, this is the season's first major heat wave, affecting over 150 million people with extreme heat warnings and advisories stretching from Texas to Maine, encompassing the entire Interstate 95 highway corridor.
Several Northeastern cities, including Boston, Providence, and Newark, experienced their hottest June temperatures on record Tuesday afternoon. Boston reached 102 Fahrenheit (38.8 Celsius), breaking its previous all-time June record of 100F (37.7C), set in 2021, 1952, and 1925. The city last hit 100F in July 2022.
Providence, Rhode Island, recorded 100F (37.8C) on Tuesday, surpassing its previous all-time June high of 98F (36.6C) from 1945. Newark matched its record for the hottest June temperature, reaching 103F (39.4C). In New York City, the temperature hit 99F (37.2C) in Central Park, which, although not a June record, marked the city's hottest day since July 2012. Philadelphia reached 100F on Tuesday for the first time since 2012.
Extreme heat warnings persisted across the Northeast, covering cities like Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, as temperatures soared into triple digits. On Monday, daily heat records were broken in Philadelphia at 99F, Baltimore at 104F (40C), and Raleigh, North Carolina, at 100F.
Passenger rail service Amtrak cautioned that some Northeast trains might face delays due to heat-related speed limits. Amtrak imposes these restrictions when air temperatures rise above 95F (35C) and track temperatures reach 128F (53.3C).
New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged downstate residents on Tuesday to conserve energy until 10 pm as the power grid approached peak capacity. "Earlier this evening, the New York Independent System Operator warned that we are approaching peak capacity in the downstate region, and it is critical to conserve electricity," she said, recommending setting window air conditioning units to 76F (24.4C) and avoiding unnecessary appliance use.