A heat wave driven by a heat dome is sweeping across the United States. Widespread power outages have occurred, and in some regions electricity prices have surged as much as 240%.
New York Feels Like 43.3 Degrees
According to Bloomberg and other outlets Wednesday, the heat wave has spread from the US Midwest to the eastern region. That day, daytime high temperatures in New York and Washington, D.C., climbed to around 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). With high humidity as well, the feels-like temperature exceeded 43.3 degrees. Central Park, a green space in downtown New York, reached a high of 38 degrees that day, the highest since July 2012, or 14 years. Boston (37.2 degrees) and Washington, D.C. (38.3 degrees), two other eastern locations, each set all-time records.
This heat wave came ahead of the 250th anniversary celebrations of American independence and founding, which the US is preparing on a massive scale. The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast that more than 160 million people would fall within the range of high-risk "serious" or "extreme" level heat waves through the weekend. Large parades and festivals had been scheduled across cities this weekend, but a series of cancellations or scale-backs are being announced over safety concerns.
"Electricity Bill 'Bombs' Add to Cost-of-Living Burden"
The heat wave also caused a power crunch. According to the Financial Times (FT), more than 150,000 homes suffered power outages across the northeastern, midwestern, and southern US. As power demand for cooling and other uses surged, wholesale spot electricity prices soared by more than 240% in the northeastern New England region and doubled in New York City. The FT noted, "The rise in electricity bills from air conditioning in homes and offices is adding to the cost-of-living burden, following months of high gasoline and grocery prices."
Amid the situation, voices calling for restraint in electricity use are growing. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani asked citizens via X (formerly Twitter) to "set air conditioners to no lower than 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.5 degrees Celsius), turn off unnecessary lights, and delay using dishwashers and washing machines until morning." Con Edison, New York's power company, said it lowered voltage or temporarily cut power in some areas, including the Bronx, to prevent large-scale outages from power overload.
Authorities are stepping up their response to prevent heat-related illnesses and stabilize the power supply. The US Department of Energy issued an emergency directive to expand power production in the Mid-Atlantic region. New York City operated hundreds of cooling centers and opened fire hydrants in some areas. It also deployed mobile medical vehicles to distribute water and sunscreen to citizens and provide health checkup services.
Meanwhile, Trump Signals Lengthy Speech for US 250th Anniversary
Amid this, US President Donald Trump signaled a lengthy speech at the 250th anniversary celebration of independence and founding. According to "Freedom 250," an organization under the Trump administration and the event's organizer, President Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech at around 9:45 p.m. on July 4 at the National Mall in central Washington, D.C. In a speech in North Dakota the previous day, he said, "On July 4, the temperature will rise to about 107 degrees (Fahrenheit, 41.7 degrees Celsius), and I'm going to go there and give a very long speech to show that I can do anything."
The 80-year-old President Trump is interpreted as showing off his health and stamina by signaling a lengthy speech even amid record heat. Given that Trump often speaks for more than an hour even under normal circumstances, how long the speech will run is also drawing attention.
