Almost 1 million without power across the country as US is blanketed by heatwave
Summary
Nearly 1 million homes across the Midwest and Northeast United States lost power due to extreme heat and severe weather on July 3 and 4, 2026. Major Independence Day events in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., including the Salute to Independence parade and the National Independence Day Parade, were canceled because of dangerous triple-digit temperatures.Key Facts
- About 956,388 homes experienced power outages across multiple states in the Midwest and Northeast.
- The heatwave caused temperatures to reach heat index values between 110°F and 115°F. Heat index is how hot it feels when humidity is combined with the air temperature.
- The Philadelphia Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade was canceled due to extreme heat.
- The National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C., scheduled for July 4, 2026, was also canceled for safety reasons.
- Organizers consulted with the National Park Service, D.C. government, and other groups before making the decision to cancel events.
- The Great American State Fair and FIFA Fan Zone in D.C. delayed their opening by two hours due to the heat.
- The extreme heat posed serious health risks to participants, spectators, and staff at public events.
- Power restoration crews were working throughout the day to fix outages, and the number of people affected was likely higher than the number of households reported.
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