Heat wave gripping half the US cancels events

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Americans from Texas to Maine sweated out a steamy Saturday as a heat wave canceled events from festivals to horse races, chased baseball fans out of their seats and pushed New York City to order steps to avoid straining the electrical system.

The National Weather Service said “a dangerous heat wave” sent temperatures into the 90s, with high humidity that made it feel considerably hotter. It was expected to stay warm at night, in the upper 70s to low 80s, with more heat on the way today for the East Coast.

“It’s brutal,” Jeffrey Glickman said as he paused during a run in Washington.

The 37-year-old got out early to try to escape the worst of the heat but still planned to cut his route short on an already 90-degree morning.

“You just have to power through it the best you can,” he said.

Many people in areas facing excessive heat this weekend have no air conditioning, and cities opened shelters for people to cool off.

With record- or near-record-high temperatures at night when many air-conditioned places are closed, the weather can become especially dangerous for people who don’t get a chance to cool down, experts say. The risks are greater for young children, the elderly and the sick.

While the Midwest will get some relief today as a cold front brings storms and lower temperatures, the East won’t be so lucky until Monday, the weather service warned. The heat will be the worst from the Carolinas to Maine.

New York City authorities canceled a Times Square commemoration of the 1969 moon landing and an outdoor festival featuring soccer star Megan Rapinoe, musician John Legend and “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah.

Still, Megan Vallerie ran 5 miles in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.

“It’s not the day to be out here. I should have been up much earlier,” she said Saturday morning. “You’ve got to take your time and drink a lot of water and survive, not enjoy. That’s the goal.”

The city also directed owners of many office buildings to set thermostats no lower than 78 degrees through today to reduce strain on the electrical grid.

In Philadelphia, several hundred people were evacuated from a retirement community due to a partial power outage, though it wasn’t immediately clear whether the problem was heat related. Residents were taken to a nearby shelter, and police said some went to a hospital for evaluation.

In Chicago, heat nixed several outdoor events, including a 5k run in Grant Park and a morning workout at Millennium Park.

It hit 94 degrees by first pitch at the San Diego Padres-Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field, but some fans didn’t want to stay away, largely watching from shaded concourses as the Cubs won 6-5.