2026 North American heat wave

From June 2026 until late September 2026, North America was struck by a severe heatwave. Temperature records were tied or broken in several major cities across the United States and Canada. In Canada, the extreme heat brought large thunderstorms on July 1, Canada Day, which contributed to widespread flooding and thousands of homes being without power. In the United States, the extreme conditions strained public services, including public transit and the power grid, with delays and hundreds of thousands of homes without power for part of the heat wave.

The initial heat dome existed over the eastern United States and eastern Canada from June 28 until July 5; a peak of 106 °F (41 °C) was recorded in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on July 4. A second heat dome is forming over the western half of the continent, with heat advisories currently in the southwest United States and Alaska. As of August 5, 2026, there have been 70 deaths attributed to this heatwave.

This heatwave was concurrent with the FIFA World Cup, United States' Independence Day, and Canada Day, resulting in participants having to be in shade and hydrate frequently.