The thermometer made the Fourth of July its own. On Saturday, a high-pressure heat dome pushed temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in Washington, DC, Norfolk, Virginia, and Raleigh, North Carolina, and officials said the heat wave’s death toll had climbed to 25.
Nearly 156 million people across the eastern two-thirds of the country remained under National Weather Service heat alerts as the nation marked its 250th anniversary.
Heat and storms in the capital
On the National Mall, emergency workers and National Guard members treated attendees for heat-related illness during the Salute to America 250 celebrations. Then the weather changed its mind. A severe thunderstorm moved in, and the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency told people to take shelter. Festivities stopped for a while.
Storms were not confined to Washington. More than 72 million people were under severe thunderstorm watches, with forecasters warning of gusts above 105 kph (65 mph) and hail as big as quarters. Damaging winds were reported in parts of Nebraska and Iowa.
The National Weather Service said cooler air from Canada should shove the heat dome south and west over the coming days, easing temperatures in the Northeast. Dangerous overnight heat and high humidity, though, are expected to hang around.
New Jersey counts its dead
New Jersey’s Health Department said suspected heat-related deaths in the state rose from 19 to 22. Most of the victims were between their 30s and 80s, and fatalities turned up in 10 counties, mostly in central and northern New Jersey.
State Health Commissioner Raynard Washington said many were found inside homes with no air conditioning. Others were discovered outdoors or in parked vehicles.
Hospitals and care facilities are feeling the strain. Washington said the state was sending cooling equipment and generators to facilities under pressure and, where necessary, moving patients out.
