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Record Heat Kills 19, Leaves Million Without Power

7/6/2026

23 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Record highs hit New Jersey and New York, with LaGuardia at 104 °F and Atlantic City at 106 °F.
New Jersey health officials confirmed 19 suspected heat-related deaths.
Dr. Raynard Washington said victims were found in homes without AC, outdoors, or in parked cars.
Power outages left up to one million customers without electricity.
Storms toppled poles and trees, cutting power to 900,000 customers in the central, eastern and southern United States.

History

Historical Context

During the July 1995 Chicago heat wave, temperatures hit 106 °F and 739 people died, exposing how poor neighborhoods suffered despite post-1960 air-conditioning gains (research cited by Eric Klinenberg). The event sits within a series of deadly U.S. heat waves, and today’s New Jersey-New York surge revives those same public-health challenges for city officials and emergency planners.

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Story summary

Record highs hit New Jersey and New York, with LaGuardia at 104 °F and Atlantic City at 106 °F.
New Jersey health officials confirmed 19 suspected heat-related deaths.
Dr. Raynard Washington said victims were found in homes without AC, outdoors, or in parked cars.
Power outages left up to one million customers without electricity.
Storms toppled poles and trees, cutting power to 900,000 customers in the central, eastern and southern United States.

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