On July 28, 2025, more than 185 million people across the eastern half of the U.S., from South Dakota to Florida and up to Boston, are facing dangerous heat with heat indices—how temperatures feel with humidity—reaching up to 120°F in parts of Mississippi and Louisiana. The Southeast, including cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee, is under an extreme heat risk (Level 4/4) through Wednesday, with heat indices forecast between 105°F and 115°F. Tampa, Florida, broke a 130-year record on July 27, hitting 100°F. The Midwest, from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Minneapolis, will see heat indices of 97°F to 111°F, while the Northeast, from Philadelphia to Boston, expects feels-like temperatures in the mid-90s to 104°F. Overnight lows in the 70s or higher offer little relief, increasing health risks, as extreme heat kills about 2,000 Americans annually, per CDC data. Smoke from Canadian wildfires is also creating hazy, poor air quality in New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut, compounding the heat’s impact.
