Urgent warning for 125M Americans as swathes of US to stay hotter than the BAHAMAS until Friday

A brutal heat dome has been gripping more than 125 million Americans, and the dangerous weather is expected to keep things hotter than the Bahamas for days.

The widespread heat wave has driven temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above average for June, with cities breaking decade-long records.

Scientists define a heat dome as a high-pressure system that 'traps hot air and humidity,' creating oppressive, stagnant heat.

National Weather Service meteorologist David Roth said: 'You're talking about some places that could be 40 degrees warmer than last week. So that's a big deal.'

From New York to Nashville, this humid weather event has forced 'real feel' temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit, sending dozens to hospitals and pushing major cities to activate emergency cooling plans.

In the Bahamas, temperatures are only expected to reach 82 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday and 83 on Friday, while large parts of the US will be sweltering under heat index values topping 100.

In cities from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic, Thursday will mark the seventh consecutive day of triple-digit "feels like" temperatures when you factor in the humidity, making it feel nearly 20 degrees hotter than the Caribbean.

On Friday, as highs settle into the low 90s, oppressive humidity will keep the heat index hovering around 99, making much of the US hotter than in the tropics.

Forecasters expect on Friday, as actual highs settle in the low 90s, oppressive humidity will keep the heat index hovering around 99, making much of the US hotter and more hazardous than a tropical island built for heat.

As of Wednesday, large sections of the eastern half of the country remain under an 'extreme' heat risk warning, according to the National Weather Service's HeatRisk tool.

The danger zone includes much of the Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic, where high temperatures are expected to reach the mid-90s to around 100 degrees.

That's 10 to 15 degrees above seasonal norms, with heat index values climbing well into the triple digits.

Forecasters say the center of the heat dome, which had been parked over the Mid-Atlantic, will begin weakening and sliding southward by Thursday.

That shift is expected to bring modest relief to parts of New England and the Northeast, while large parts of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic continue to face major to extreme heat through Friday.

However, the Ohio Valley is expected to bear the brunt of the remaining heat dome on Friday before more typical summer temperatures settle in over the weekend.

The heat wave has already rewritten the record books. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), over 600 high temperature records have been set across the country over the past week.

New York, Maryland, and even states in typically moderate New England recorded new all-time highs for June.

Boston hit 102 degrees this week, just two degrees shy of its all-time high of 104. JFK Airport in New York City reached 102, while Newark Airport in New Jersey hit 103.

In downtown Baltimore, a reading of 105 degrees was recorded, though it has not yet been verified.

Public health experts are raising alarms over the impact of such extreme heat.

Ashley Ward, director of Duke University's Heat Policy Innovation Hub, said: 'Your body needs a reprieve.'

'When overnight lows remain above 75 Fahrenheit, you start to see some pretty extraordinary outcomes with respect to heat illness and heat stroke, and even mortality.'

Residents are urged to reschedule outdoor activities and prioritize vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and pets.

Hospitals across the Northeast are reporting spikes in heat-related illnesses. Hartford Healthcare in Connecticut treated nearly 90 patients for dehydration and overheating in recent days.

New York EMS teams responded to dozens of calls Tuesday alone. In New Jersey and Massachusetts, several people collapsed and were hospitalized during outdoor high school graduations.

Cities have responded by opening emergency cooling centers, including 248 sites in New York City under its Code Red Alert protocol.

In Philadelphia, a Heat Health Emergency remains in effect. Officials have urged the public to avoid outdoor activity, hydrate frequently, and check on vulnerable individuals including seniors, children, and people without access to air conditioning.

According to the NWS, an Excessive Heat Warning is issued when heat indexes exceed 110 degrees for several hours. These warnings remain in place for wide regions through Friday.

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The impacts have gone beyond health. In Cape Girardeau, Missouri, a stretch of road buckled under the heat, launching a passing car briefly into the air.

Utilities including Duke Energy, Con Edison, and Eversource implemented emergency response plans to avoid power outages as air conditioning usage spiked across the Northeast.

While some Northeast cities like Boston and New York may see temperatures fall into the 70s and 80s by Friday with the arrival of a cold front, places like Raleigh, Nashville, and Columbus will continue to suffer through oppressive heat.

Heat index values there are expected to remain above 110 through the end of the week.

The core of the heat dome is predicted to shift westward by this weekend, setting up a new zone of extreme heat across parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

Meteorologists have warned that while heat waves are common in summer, the intensity and timing of this one, arriving before July, signal a potentially severe season ahead.

'This is not a typical heat wave,' Roth said. 'This is a season-starter with deadly implications.'