WASHINGTON: Around 160 million Americans were under major or extreme heat warnings on Friday as the United States prepared to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its independence, with soaring temperatures disrupting July Fourth events, straining power grids and raising concerns for FIFA World Cup matches.
In Washington, celebrations on the National Mall—the vast park stretching from the US Capitol to the Washington Monument—were partially postponed after several people suffered heat-related illnesses during the extreme weather.
The National Weather Service warned that numerous daily, monthly and even all-time temperature records could be broken over the Independence Day holiday, with dangerously high temperatures affecting large parts of the country.
Celebrations Disrupted
Celebrations on the National Mall were partially postponed after several people suffered heat-related illnesses.
Emergency crews treated multiple visitors for heat exhaustion. At the same time, organisers temporarily closed the Great American State Fair during the hottest part of the day before announcing it would reopen later in the evening.
Despite the extreme conditions, many visitors chose to attend the celebrations.
“I came to the US in 1975 from Vietnam, and I was here for the bicentennial,” 76-year-old retiree Hang Dang told AFP. “I’ve got to get back for the 250th because I don’t think I’ll make it to the 300th.”
In New York City, the heat index—measuring how hot it feels when humidity is included—reached around 105F (41 °C). Authorities opened cooling centres across the city and extended public swimming pool hours to help residents cope with the intense heat.
World Cup Matches Under Scrutiny
The soaring temperatures have also raised concerns over player safety during the FIFA World Cup.
Argentina were scheduled to face Cape Verde in Miami, where the heat index at kick-off was forecast to reach around 100F (38 °C).
On Saturday, France is due to play Paraguay in Philadelphia, where the apparent temperature could climb to 105F (41 °C).
FIFA has introduced mandatory hydration breaks during each half of every World Cup match because of the extreme heat, although questions remain over whether the measure will be sufficient for games played outdoors.
Electricity Networks Under Pressure
The prolonged heat has sharply increased electricity demand as millions of people rely on air conditioning.
In the US capital, temperatures reached 102F (39 °C), exceeding the previous daily record set in 1966.
In New York, utility company Con Edison said it had restored electricity to about 60,000 customers following heat-related outages. However, more than 22,000 customers in New York City and nearby suburbs remained without power on Friday afternoon.
PJM Interconnection, which operates power grids serving around 67 million customers across the eastern United States and parts of the Midwest, said it had considered asking data centres to switch to emergency backup power to reduce pressure on the electricity network and indicated the option remained available if demand continued to rise.
Meteorologists warned that the dangerous conditions could persist through the Independence Day holiday, urging people to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activities during the hottest hours and check on vulnerable family members and neighbours.
