The season's first widespread hot and humid air mass has settled over the US, stretching from the Midwest to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. This has led to many areas recording monthly record temperatures.

The Washington Post noted that the combination of heat and high humidity has made many parts of the eastern US feel "like July," despite summer only just beginning.

Heat warnings were issued for areas across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, affecting an estimated 110 million people. Mid-last week, daily temperature records were broken in cities like Portland, Maine (33 degrees Celsius), and Boston, Massachusetts (35,5 degrees Celsius).

The School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, announced that 57 schools had to switch to online learning because their air conditioning systems were inadequate.

The early heat has prompted some residents to worry about their electricity bills. "These days feel like a heatwave. I have young children at home, so I have to use the air conditioner more than anything to prevent them from getting sick," said Lauren Arthur, a Philadelphia resident.

Children playing in a splash pad in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Photo: Yahoo News*.

A high school in the Dorchester area of Boston provided fans, distributed bottled water, and allowed students to wear shorts and t-shirts instead of their usual uniforms.

"The heat outside is bearable because there's a breeze, but it's stuffy and suffocating in the classroom, and we still have to take tests and exams, with no exceptions," student Ariolainy Baez said.

Some people sought relief from the heat by heading to beaches. Others transformed their front yard sprinklers into temporary splash areas for children.

In New York, city authorities opened cooling centers. "New Yorkers always look out for each other during the coldest days of winter, and we must do the same during the hottest days of the year," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

High humidity also caused many parts of the US to experience unusually warm nights. Last week, New York and Washington sometimes recorded nighttime temperatures close to what is typically seen in July, the peak of summer.

Duc Trung (According to Washington Post, AP)