The United States is experiencing a sweltering heat wave and severe storms that are set to continue into the next week as summer temperatures settle in. Friday marks the last intensely hot day for the East Coast, with cities like Baltimore, Washington, New York, Philadelphia, and Raleigh expecting record highs. On Thursday, temperatures reached 101 degrees Fahrenheit in Raleigh. New York opened its cooling centers when the heat climbed into the 90s, leading to heat index values between 95 and 105 degrees due to high humidity. Fortunately, temperatures are projected to drop over the weekend.
On the West Coast, record temperatures are anticipated on Sunday and Monday. Forecasts suggest the mercury could rise into the upper 90s and low 100s in cities such as Portland and Seattle, which may establish new temperature records next week.
While dealing with heat, several regions are also grappling with severe weather. Thursday recorded 500 storm incidents, marking it as the third most active day of 2026. Among these were over a dozen tornadoes in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, causing significant damage. In Illinois, entire neighborhoods were badly hit, such as in Streator, where a cul-de-sac was left devastated. Residents had to rescue neighbors trapped in wreckage, highlighted by a couple that was pulled to safety and a man whose leg was broken, requiring police assistance.
In addition to tornadoes, large hail pounded the central U.S., damaging cars in Iowa, while heavy rain flooded roads from Wisconsin to Pennsylvania. No fatalities have been reported as of Friday morning.
The severe weather threat persists, affecting 66 million people across various regions on Friday. The major area includes the mid-Atlantic, Appalachians, and the Northeast, where hazardous winds are a primary concern. Key cities on alert are New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Raleigh, and Charlotte. A smaller threat area covers western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, and parts of New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas, where hail, winds, and potential tornadoes could occur.
Saturday’s storms are anticipated to impact 14 million people across the Midwest and the Plains, stretching from northern Oklahoma to Illinois and Iowa, with Wichita, Kansas City, St. Louis, Des Moines, and Peoria advised to prepare for wind gusts over 75 mph, hail exceeding 2 inches, and possible tornadoes.
The harsh weather is expected to continue into Sunday, potentially impacting 23 million people in the mid-Atlantic. Cities like Richmond, Norfolk, Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia could face damaging gusts over 60 mph.