United States braces for crushing heat wave

Vast areas of the central and eastern United States are bracing for a sweltering heat wave next week, with temperatures expected to be unseasonably high for June.

“Temperatures will soar next week from the Midwest to the Northeast, where several dozen record afternoon high and record warm morning lows are set to fall,” the National Weather Service says.

The wave is due to start Sunday in the central United States, then spread across the Midwest and Northeast before Tuesday, and will last most of the week, the weather service said.

“Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths most years. Take it seriously,” it warns.

The capital city of Washington activated its “heat emergency” plan Friday, says Mayor Muriel Bowser, and extreme temperatures are forecast for next week. Several other major cities will also be affected, from Chicago to New York.