A massive heat dome is behind the first major heat wave of the summer, bringing record-breaking temperatures to cities throughout the Northeast on Monday. These dangerous heat conditions are expected to persist on Tuesday, affecting millions from the Midwest to New England as they seek ways to stay cool.
As temperatures skyrocketed across the region, many cities experienced heat that hadn’t been seen in a century, breaking long-standing records.
New York City tied its record of 96 degrees set back in 1888, with other records being broken in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Worcester, Massachusetts, reached 92 degrees on Monday, breaking its old record of 89 degrees set in 1894.
The temperature reached 97 degrees in Glens Falls, New York, on Monday, breaking its record of 95 degrees set in 1894.
Newark International Airport reached the triple digits Monday afternoon, officially hitting 101 degrees.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia marked its hottest day since July 2022, with a high of 99 degrees.
And it’s one thing to say it’s going to be hot, but when you see the effects of what heat can do, it really puts the situation into perspective.
It was so hot in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on Sunday that roads began to buckle.
A dramatic video shared by Albert Blackwell captures the moment a roadway gave way, launching a car into the air before it crashed back down.
The extreme heat has also led to issues with travel.
Amtrak implemented train speed restrictions on Monday from Washington to Boston due to the high temperatures.
According to FOX 5 DC, an Amtrak train was evacuated after it got stuck in a tunnel near Baltimore, where the forecast indicated a feels-like temperature of 112 degrees on Monday.
Passengers told FOX 5 they were stuck on the train for over an hour without air conditioning or electricity.
FOX Weather has reached out to Amtrak to verify this information.
The heat is also causing issues in Washington, impacting people trying to visit parks and monuments in the area.
The National Park Service said that the Washington Monument would be closed Monday and Tuesday due to the extreme heat conditions.
Power companies ask residents to conserve energy amid heat wave
Power companies across the region are urging customers to conserve energy as the temperatures soar and say they’re ready to respond if outages arise.
Con Edison said crews have been working around the clock in hot conditions to restore power to customers in the Bronx who were affected by the extreme weather conditions.
“The heat, humidity and customers’ need to run their air conditioners to stay comfortable place stress on electric delivery equipment,” the company said. “Con Edison has asked customers to use energy wisely during the heat. That helps customers save money and helps Con Edison keep service reliable.”
The company asked customers to refrain from using appliances like washers, dryers and microwaves.
Eversource has also asked its customers in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire to be aware of their energy usage.
“While high electricity usage during a heat wave can put a strain on the electric system, the energy company is prepared to meet the increased demand, and its crews are ready to respond to any outages or issues that may arise,” the company said.
The company said that during the summer months, customers in Connecticut use about 35% more energy to keep cool, and that can be even higher when the state sees multiple heat waves like what has occurred in years past.
The company said Massachusetts uses about 30% more energy, while New Hampshire sees about 20% more demand.
Record-breaking heat continues Tuesday
More than 228 million people across the eastern half of the U.S. will experience temperatures higher than 90 degrees on Tuesday, with many locations even approaching or rising above 100 degrees.
And it’s not just the high temperatures making people feel miserable. Humidity is soaring, with dew points rising into the 70s.
Extreme Heat Warnings – the most dire heat alert issued by the National Weather Service – now stretch from the South Carolina-North Carolina border in the mid-Atlantic and continue up the Interstate 95 corridor through Wilmington and Raleigh in North Carolina, Richmond in Virginia, Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, New Haven in Connecticut, Providence in Rhode Island and Boston.
Extreme Heat Warnings are also in effect to the west, including in cities like Detroit and Pittsburgh.
Dozens of record-high temperatures are in jeopardy of being broken on Tuesday from the Southeast to Maine in northern New England.
Cities like New York City, Newark in New Jersey, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington are all expected to flirt with or rise above 100 degrees on Tuesday, threatening records in those cities.
