A girl reaches for a mini fan to beat the heat on 2 July 2026 in New York City, as a scorching heat dome spread across 30 states, putting nearly 160 million Americans under heat advisories, according to the National Weather Service.
Even wildlife felt the strain — a sparrow was photographed drinking from a fountain in New York City on 2 July 2026, as the heat dome pushed temperatures to potentially record-breaking levels across the US East Coast and Midwest.
A boy walks through public fountains in New York City on 2 July 2026 to escape the heat, as a dangerous heat wave — spanning over 30 states — threatened to shatter temperature records during the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend.
A woman fans herself for shade on the streets of New York City on 2 July 2026, as a heat dome stretched from the Midwest to the East Coast, placing nearly 160 million Americans at risk of extreme heat through the end of the week, per the National Weather Service.
Residents of New York City gathered under tree shade on 2 July 2026 as a sweeping heat dome covered more than half of the United States, with the National Weather Service warning of dangerous conditions across 30 states through the holiday weekend.
With temperatures climbing to potentially record highs, people in New York City stayed under tree cover on 2 July 2026 as the heat dome — one of the most expansive in recent years — blanketed 30 US states, according to the National Weather Service.
A man drinks water to stay hydrated on the streets of New York City on 2 July 2026, as health officials urged the public to hydrate frequently during a heat dome affecting nearly 160 million Americans across 30 states, per the National Weather Service.
Armed with an umbrella and a mini fan, a woman navigated New York City streets on 2 July 2026 as a dangerous heat wave swept from the US Midwest to the East Coast, raising the risk of record-high temperatures over the Fourth of July weekend.
Pedestrians clutching cold drinks waited at a crossing in New York City on 2 July 2026, as the city braced for the peak of a heat wave timed to coincide with the Fourth of July — one of the busiest holiday periods in the United States.
A man splashes water on himself in New York City on 2 July 2026 as a powerful heat dome — covering 30 states and affecting nearly 160 million Americans — showed no sign of easing through the Fourth of July weekend, the National Weather Service warned.