Heatwave and high humidity to blast much of US: ‘impactful to anyone’

A long and dangerous heatwave will blast a large swath of the central and eastern United States for the upcoming week, the National Weather Service (NWS) said on Sunday – with temperatures rising ahead of the Fourth of July holiday and feeling even hotter because of high humidity also arriving. Already parts of the US, especially Phoenix and central Texas, and much of the south-west were experiencing temperatures of about 100F (38C) on Sunday, while the NWS warned of severe wildfire conditions developing across much of the west as new fires popped up across the region. On Sunday, more than 130 million Americans across southern and Great Plains states were under moderate to severe heat risk conditions, according to NWS maps, with that area forecast to expand and temperatures to intensify as the week drags on. Forecasters say several days of high temperatures – some above 100F – will settle in across the lower Great Lakes, the mid-Atlantic and the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. Some record highs could be set in areas from the lower Great Lakes to the mid-Atlantic and New England later in the week, NWS meteorologist Bryan Putnam said. A number of big cities could see their highest temperatures of the year so far as they host World Cup matches and celebrations for the US’s 250th anniversary . …