Residents in the north-east US braced for potentially record-breaking temperatures on Sunday as a near-week-long hot spell continued, prompting officials to warn of dangerous heat.
At least one heat-related death, in New York, was reported. Around the region, athletic events were shortened or postponed and cities opened cooling centers and even turned to buses to offer relief from the heat.
Amid warnings from climate scientists that the climate crisis is here, from the Pacific north-west to the southern Great Plains, to the heavily populated I-95 corridor, more than 85 million Americans woke up to excessive heat warnings or heat advisories, the National Weather Service said.
Much of the heat was in the north-east, where the weather service warned of “extremely oppressive” conditions from Washington to Boston.
“Numerous records highs are forecast to be tied and/or broken today in the north east as highs make a run at the century mark” and humidity makes it feel as hot as 105F to 110F (40.5C to 43C), the NWS said.
Philadelphia was forecast to hit 100F (38C) before factoring in humidity, said NWS meteorologist Matt Brudy in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
Philadelphia officials extended a heat health emergency declaration through Sunday, sending workers to check on homeless people and knock on the doors of other vulnerable residents. With the city health commissioner, Dr Cheryl Bettigole, calling the weather “dangerously hot”, the city opened cooling centers and stationed air-conditioned buses at four intersections.
Forecasters urged people to take precautions, wear light clothing, drink lots of water, limit time outside and check on elderly people and pets.
New York City medical examiners confirmed that a person had died of heat-related causes but did not say when or where. The person had heart disease and emphysema, which contributed to the death, the medical examiner’s office said.
With the city expected to approach its record high of 97F (36C) for Sunday’s date, organizers of the New York City Triathlon shortened the distances that athletes had to run and bike. The bicycle leg was cut in half to 20km (12.4 miles).
The Boston Triathlon was put off until 20-21 August. Temperatures were expected to reach the upper 90s in Boston on Sunday, according to the NWS.
