Record Heatwave Scorches Millions Across Canada, US
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Environment Canada issued extreme heat warnings across Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories, putting millions of residents under alert
- Toronto recorded 98F (36C) on Tuesday, falling just short of an all-time record, with commuter trains running on delays due to "weather related track conditions"
- Billings, Montana set a new all-time temperature record of 111F, smashing the previous mark of 108F
- Salt Lake City broke its previous record of 107F by reaching 109F, with the heatwave also shattering all-time records in parts of Montana and Utah
- Major US cities including Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Buffalo remain under heat advisories through Wednesday, with NYC forecast at 100F, Chicago at 97F, and Washington DC at 102F
- The current wave follows a record-breaking July 4 heatwave that placed more than 165 million people under extreme heat and caused at least 44 deaths, cancelling Washington DC's Fourth of July parade
- A cold front will bring lower temperatures to central and eastern Canada over coming days but also carries the threat of severe thunderstorms across eastern North America by the weekend
Why it matters: Two record-breaking heatwaves have struck North America within weeks of each other—the July 4 event affected 165 million people and caused at least 44 deaths—and this second wave is breaking all-time temperature records in Montana and Utah before summer has peaked, with advisories blanketing major US and Canadian population centers simultaneously.
