Northeast Heat Relief; Mid-Atlantic Still Sizzles

The dangerous heat dome of high pressure will soon begin to loosen its grip on parts of the central and eastern U.S. after setting not only daily records, but also for the entire month of June.

Extreme heat reached its peak for many in the Northeast over the past couple of days, with seven states tying or breaking all-time records for the month of June, according to weather records expert Maxmiliano Herrera.

Boston hit 102 degrees on Tuesday, which was a new all-time June record for the city dating to 1872. Newark hit 103 degrees, tying its June record.

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Go to this link for a rundown of some of the most significant records that have been set.

(MORE: Download The Weather Channel App To Track The Heat Dome)

Here are the main takeaways from the forecast on what to expect today and when relief will arrive:

(TRACK THE HEAT: Temperatures | Heat Index)

When Does The Heat End?

- One more very hot day is ahead for most of the Eastern U.S. on Wednesday, although fewer will near the century mark as we did on Tuesday. A scattering of additional daily record highs are possible, including in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Richmond, Virginia.

- The Northeast will begin a temperature nosedive by Thursday, particularly in New England and New York where temperatures will be in the 60s and 70s by week's end.

- For the mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley and parts of the South, temperatures will tick downward or remain steady into the weekend. Therefore, expect it to still feel plenty like summer with highs anywhere from the mid-80s to mid-90s and high humidity.

(MORE: Should You Turn Off Your A/C Or Leave It On When You Leave Home?)

What You Should Do

- Heat is the No. 1 weather killer in the U.S., with hundreds of fatalities each year.

- The combination of heat and humidity lingering into the night for several days in a row is dangerous for those without access to air conditioning, especially in the cores of larger cities.

- Check on family, friends, the elderly and those with chronic illness who live without access to air conditioning.

- If possible, avoid being outdoors for long in the peak heat of the afternoon.

- If not, take frequent breaks, avoid strenuous activity, drink more water than usual and wear loose, lightweight clothing.

(MORE: Heat Advice From An ER Doctor)

Why So Hot?

- A strong bubble of high pressure aloft known as a heat dome has persisted over the eastern U.S.

- Sinking air near the center of this heat dome suppresses clouds, allowing the intense sunshine this time of year to heat the ground and air above it most efficiently.

- This heat dome will only slowly weaken and "flatten out" in the East over the next few days.

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.