(NBC) – We’re just a few days into the summer of 2021 and already extreme heat, hot, sweaty weather is blanketing much of the country and expanding on both coasts to begin this new week.
In all, 55 million people are under heat warnings and advisories, the scorching summer sun bringing the heat from coast to coast.
It’s such a stretch of hot weather that the water is probably the best place to be.
Record-setting temperatures are putting at least 25 million people out West under heat alerts. It’s going to be a brutal couple of days.
In Portland, Oregon, temperatures Monday could reach 115 degrees. Residents have been loading up on cold drinks with some taking refuge from the 110+ degree heat inside cooling centers.
At the US Olympic trials in Eugene, athletes and officials tried to find a little shade before Sunday’s extreme heat forced events to be postponed. Temperatures on the track were topping 100 degrees.
In Seattle, folks are flocking to the beach to try and cool down but temps at the shore are also hitting the triple digits. Forecasters there are predicting even more sweltering conditions Monday.
In Idaho, Ironman organizers utilized cooling areas, misting stations, and chilling towels to keep athletes safe.
And with dangerous drought conditions out across the West, officials are on alert for wildfires.
On the other side of the country, New York, Boston, and D.C. are bracing for temps in the 90s as the first days of summer pack a blistering punch.
With dozens of large fires blazing from New Mexico to Oregon, some cities and towns are already canceling 4th of July fireworks shows as a precaution.
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