Extreme heat in the US impacts 4th of July celebrations and cancels events

The United States celebrates this Saturday (4) the 250th anniversary of independence under one of the most intense heat waves in recent years in the east of the country.

In addition to extreme temperatures, meteorologists warn of the possibility of storms that could affect Independence Day festivities.

Temperatures should vary between 32°C and more than 38°C in areas ranging from New England to the American Southeast. Philadelphia and Washington could record the third day in a row with highs above 37°C. On Thursday and Friday, dozens of cities equaled or broke historic temperature records.

The heat wave has already caused impacts. A 68-year-old man died in Pennsylvania after falling ill while pruning bushes, according to local authorities, who attributed his death to heat exhaustion. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has also reported extremely high rates of illness related to high temperatures in parts of the Northeast.

The weather conditions also changed the schedule of the celebrations. The Independence Day parade in Washington was canceled due to extreme heat, while the opening of the "Great American State Fair", promoted by President Donald Trump, was postponed by two hours.

In New York, thousands of consumers were without power between Friday (3) and Saturday (4). Part of the outages were carried out preventively by Con Edison to avoid wider failures in the electrical system.

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In addition to the heat, storms could hit regions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast starting this Saturday afternoon. Meteorologists warn of gusts of wind, lightning and possible interruptions to the traditional fireworks display. Areas most at risk include Washington, Baltimore, Arlington, as well as parts of Oklahoma and Kansas.

Another factor of concern is air quality. Experts warn that the combination of intense heat and smoke from fireworks can significantly increase pollution levels during celebrations.

According to scientists from the World Weather Attribution network, the intensity of the current heat wave would have been "virtually impossible" without the effects of climate change caused by fossil fuel emissions.

The heat is expected to weaken from Sunday (5) in much of the east of the country, although areas of the Southeast will continue to record high temperatures throughout next week.

*CNN's Angela Fritz contributed to this report

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Source: CNN