More than 85 million Americans were under excessive heat warnings or advisories on Sunday from the Pacific Northwest to the southern Great Plains and on to the densely populated Interstate 95 corridor, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The Plains and Central California are seeing temperatures that are 10 to 15 degrees above average today and Tuesday, placing more than 40 million people under heat advisories.
The temperature at Chicago Midway International Airport, located just outside the city, reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit, marking the first time the airport has reached that temperature since July 25, 2012.
In southwest England, a yellow weather warning is in effect until Saturday, with the possibility of floods, building damage, lightning strikes, hail, or high winds as well as a slight likelihood of railway and bus service delays and cancellations.
Extreme heat projections indicate that the current rising temperature trend will continue, with Britons bracing for their first heatwave of the year as local temperatures approach Turkey.