Scorching US heatwave to hit 70 million people with third ‘heat dome’ in month

Families seek refuge in the pool at the North Hollywood recreation center in Los Angeles, California, on 20 July 2026. Photograph: Chris Torres/EPA

About 70 million people in the US are set to face excessive heat advisories as dangerously hot temperatures scorch much of the country’s southern and central states.

The third major “heat dome” event to hit the US in the past month is gathering strength over the weekend, spanning a vast swathe of the country, from the Gulf of Mexico coast to the Great Plains and the midwest.