From Kansas to New York, historic heatwave bakes US ahead of July 4 holiday

HILL CITY, Kansas/CHICAGO/NEW YORK - Record-breaking temperatures spread from the Midwest into the eastern United States on Wednesday, placing tens of millions of Americans under heat warnings expected to last through the July 4 holiday weekend, when the nation marks its 250th anniversary.

The extreme heat is forecast to push “feels-like” temperatures between 100 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 to 46.1 degrees Celsius) across much of the region, raising the risk of heat-related illness, particularly among vulnerable populations, and straining power grids already burdened by rising demand from data centers and electric vehicles.

In Hill City, Kansas, a small high plains town about 270 miles east of Denver, mail carrier Sabrina Hooper has been working through 100-plus-degree conditions just a week after starting her job.

“It’s completely debilitating,” said Hooper, 34, describing the impact of the heat on her daily route, which requires walking up to 10 miles to deliver mail and packages. She said she finds temporary relief from lawn sprinklers. “It’s so nice. You can take your hat off, get it wet, slap it back on your head.”

Hill City previously recorded some of the nation’s highest temperatures for several consecutive days in 2012, when another major heatwave pushed the heat index up to 108 degrees. The heat index measures how hot it feels when humidity is factored into air temperature.

In Brownsville, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border, resident Dana Robles said she is increasingly worried about rising electricity costs as she tries to keep her home cool. At peak temperatures, her monthly power bill can exceed $300, nearly one-third of her rent.

Robles also expressed concern about potential blackouts as the grid comes under pressure.

“I’m scared the electricity is going to go off all day and our food is going to get spoiled,” she said.

In Chicago, high school science teacher Michelle Klein, 57, began preparing for the heat days in advance by stocking up on groceries, filling her gas tank, and ensuring she had enough cold drinks at home. She also gave her plants extra water.

“The basil was being a diva and needed another drink of water this morning,” Klein said after taking her usual evening walk despite a heat index of 103 degrees.

In suburban Chicago, property investor Amy Kaspar said she received an urgent call from a tenant whose air conditioner was running but unable to cool the unit effectively due to extreme heat and humidity.

“Combined with the wind, it feels like standing behind the exhaust of a bus right now in Chicago,” Kaspar said.

Authorities in Chicago urged residents to check on neighbors, relatives, seniors, and other vulnerable individuals. Officials said residents who cannot reach someone should request a welfare check through the city’s 311 hotline.

The extreme heat mirrors conditions recently seen in parts of Western Europe, which has experienced its own record-breaking heatwaves. Scientists have said such events would have been “virtually impossible” without human-caused climate change, and research shows that greenhouse gas emissions are making heatwaves more frequent and intense worldwide.

In New York City, officials said the heat was only beginning to intensify by Wednesday morning. The city has opened hundreds of cooling centers and deployed mobile “cool vans” offering water, electrolytes, sunscreen, and meals.

At a senior center in Harlem, air conditioning was running at full capacity as residents sought relief. A sign posted in 13 languages identified the facility as a cooling center. The center’s director, Richard Allman, said it would remain open beyond normal hours through the holiday weekend.

“We try to make this a comfortable place for people on an extra-hot day,” he said.

Ahead of the heatwave, city officials urged businesses in Times Square to reduce billboard brightness to conserve energy and recommended that indoor thermostats be set no lower than 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Utility provider Con Edison also asked customers to limit electricity use during peak hours from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The city has expanded its heat response measures, extending public pool hours, increasing the number of cooling centers in libraries and municipal buildings, and broadening street outreach efforts.

-Reporting by Brad Brooks in Hill City, Kansas, Maria Alejandra Cardona in Brownsville, Texas, P.J. Huffstutter in Chicago, and Maria Tsvetkova and Joseph Ax in New York; Writing by Julia Harte; Editing by Mark Porter/Reuters