A long-lasting extreme heat wave reached its dangerous crescendo Tuesday, bringing the hottest day in a decade to some major East Coast cities and putting millions of already fatigued Americans at risk.

A life-threatening heat wave has enveloped the East Coast, hitting cities with the worst of the high temperatures on Tuesday before relief moves in later in the week.This is the first major heat wave of the season,

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.