Dangerous heat wave sweeps US before July 4: Which states will be hottest?

A dangerous and widespread heat wave is set to grip more than half of the United States as these severe scorching conditions are likely to persist through the July 4th holiday weekend.

According to the National Weather Service, the soaring temperatures will sweep through the large swathes of central and eastern US states with over 100 record-highs through Saturday night.

CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan reported that more than 100 record-high temperatures would be felt in Washington DC and New York City.

While the lower Great Lakes and the Ohio River Valley will face extreme heat through July 4, brutal conditions will persist across the eastern Plains, the Southeast, and the mid-Atlantic well into the following week.

Actual temperatures will reach into the 90s and low 100s F which is mid to high 30s C. High humidity will push "feels-like" heat indices to between 100 F and 110 F (40–43C), with some areas potentially seeing indices as high as 115°F (46 C).

The brutal heat is expected to persist through the upcoming weekend, providing little relief to the Americans.

Affected regions

Midwest: Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Detroit.

East Coast: New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Baltimore.

South: Little Rock, Dallas and Memphis

Southwest: Phoenix and Las Vegas

Extreme heat warnings were also issued in the parts of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, and Tennessee.

The Four Corners and parts of the Southwest would experience dangerous fire conditions due to dry and windy weather. On the other hand, the northern Plains and Upper Midwest are likely to be bracing for severe thunderstorms.