More than 60 record-high temperatures were set across the country on Monday, with more expected Tuesday from the Southeast into New England.
Several cities, including Boston, Providence, Rhode Island, and Hartford, Connecticut, are on track to break their all-time June monthly records on Tuesday.
Heat index values on Tuesday could reach 104 degrees in New York City, 106 degrees in Boston, 102 degrees in Atlanta and 110 degrees in Washington, D.C.
Conditions will also remain stiflingly hot in the evening hours, according to the National Weather Service.
“Overnight lows are forecast to only drop into the 70s, with urban centers along the East Coast struggling to drop below 80 degrees at night,” the weather service said Tuesday in its short-range forecast.
Some relief is expected later this week, heading into the weekend, but heat and humidity will continue to soar in the coming days.
“The most significant cumulative heat impacts are anticipated across the Mid-Atlantic through Thursday and eastern Ohio Valley into Friday, leading to several consecutive days of oppressive heat,” the NWS said.
Anyone is susceptible to heat-related illness or death, but excessively hot and humid conditions — especially for days on end — are particularly risky for children, people with pre-existing health conditions, the elderly and individuals who work outdoors. These health impacts are a significant concern as heat waves become more frequent, intense and longer-lasting due to climate change.
As the eastern half of the country bakes under the heat dome, severe storms could hit parts of Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota and Nebraska. Heavy rainfall and flooding is also possible for much of New Mexico and far southwestern Texas.