Photo: Alamy
A blast of heat is sweeping through the East Coast and beyond as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday this weekend.
Blistering temperatures in Washington, D.C., were forecast to hit as high as 113 degrees on Friday, according to ABC.
The sweltering temperatures forced the postponement of the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, the event taskforce, Freedom 250, said.
“Due to the heat, in coordination with public safety officials, the Great American State Fair will be temporarily closed until 5:00 PM today,” the organization said in a statement on Friday afternoon. “The safety and well-being of our guests, volunteers, performers, vendors, and staff is our highest priority…”
Musical events lined up for Friday night’s festivities include Hugo Castillo, GRAMMY-winning educator Mickey Smith Jr., and “The Voice” star Grace Moody Miller.
The event organization said that the Washington Monument will also be illuminated on Friday night (the third night it has been lit) for 18-minute intervals, beginning at 9:00 PM ET, and again at 10:00 PM, 11:00 PM, and midnight.
The D.C. area was not the only region experiencing spiking temperatures headed into the 4th of July weekend. According to The New York Times, about 180 million people in the U.S. on Friday were under “extreme heat warnings,” with temperatures rising above 100 degrees in places like Philadelphia and New York.
The Independence Day celebration has some big events ahead, as President Trump flies to Mount Rushmore on Friday night for a special celebration set against the beautiful Black Hills. Temperatures at the event in Keystone, South Dakota, were a marked difference from the East Coast, with a potential thunderstorm in the forecast, according to AccuWeather.
The president will also deliver remarks on Saturday evening on the Fourth of July holiday in Washington, D.C., during a special “Salute to America” event. Temperatures are expected to remain toasty on Saturday, with a heat warning in effect in D.C. tomorrow morning and until 9 PM ET, via the weather outlet.