Severe heat warnings have been issued for nearly a quarter of the US population, the US National Weather Service said on Sunday, as New England, which has already been hit by heavy rain, braces for more.
Warnings of sweltering heat were issued for vast areas stretching from the Pacific Northwest to California, across the southwest and into the far south, known as the Deep South, to Florida.
Temperatures are expected to exceed 46 degrees Celsius in parts of the southern California desert as well as in the states of Arizona and Nevada.
The weather service said the scorching heat prompted authorities to issue warnings to more than 80 million people.
At the same time, the National Weather Service reported that storms with possible heavy rain would sweep parts of New England and parts of the Mid-Atlantic region. Areas at risk include major cities such as New York, Boston and Philadelphia.
In Pennsylvania, police said in a written statement that at least three people were swept away by torrential rains on Saturday in a town in the state. Rescue workers also said on Sunday that they were searching for another three or four people in the area.
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