More than 160 million Americans are under the highest level of extreme heat alerts during a wave of above-average temperatures.

By Patrick Wingrove NEW YORK (Reuters) -Tens of millions of people in major cities across the U.S. Northeast are facing record high temperatures on Tuesday on what was expected to be the worst day of an oppressive heat wave that has spread over much of the country since late last week.

NEW YORK (AP) — Extensive triple digit heat, broken temperature records and oppressive humidity piled up into a steaming mess as the heat dome crushing the Eastern half of the nation sizzled to what should be its worst Tuesday.