Nearly One Million U.S. Households Lose Power Amid Widespread Heatwave
About 956,000 homes across the Midwest and Northeast are without electricity as a severe heat wave prompts event cancellations and schedule changes in several major cities.
Nearly one million households in the United States are experiencing power outages, according to the tracking site PowerOutage, which reports 956,388 homes without electricity across several Midwestern and Northeastern states. The figure reflects residential units only, so the total number of people affected is expected to be considerably higher.
The outages coincide with an extensive heat wave that is expected to persist into Saturday, prompting the cancellation of major public events. The Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade in Philadelphia was called off after local ABC affiliate WPVI cited dangerous heat conditions. In Washington, D.C., organizers of the America's Independence Day Parade announced the event's cancellation, noting an Extreme Heat Warning with heat index values projected between 110°F and 115°F.
"The organizers of America's National Independence Day Parade ... have regretfully canceled the parade due to extreme heat in the Washington, DC, region," the statement read, adding that the decision followed consultation with the National Park Service, the District of Columbia city government and Freedom 250, and prioritized safety.
The Great American State Fair and FIFA Fan Zone on the National Mall will open two hours later than planned, at noon on Saturday, after organizers delayed the start in response to the same heat concerns.
