East Coast Record Temperatures

On a single day last week, four of America’s cities — New York City (99°F), Philadelphia (100°F), Washington, D.C. (101°F), Boston (102°F), all hit triple-digit temperatures, shattering or tying their hottest June records. The cause: a powerful heat dome that settled over the U.S. Northeast, trapping heat and pushing urban infrastructure to its limits.

From above, these cities may appear calm — but on the ground, streets sizzled, power grids strained, and millions sought relief in the shade. These images show the built environments where millions endured the heat: white rooftops, concrete sprawl, and limited tree cover — all intensifying the “urban heat island” effect that makes cities significantly hotter than surrounding areas.

Source Imagery: Nearmap