A sweltering and deadly heat wave enveloping parts of Europe has been breaking temperature records and is blamed for dozens of deaths in recent days โ€“ and it has Americans wondering, are we next?

In recent days, the extreme heat has been consuming Great Britain, Italy and Spain, with temperatures in parts of France expected to reach at least 104 degrees Fahrenheit on June 23.

There may be some connection between the European heat wave and what weather will look like a few days from now in parts of the United States, particularly the East Coast, said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill. Indeed, next week, parts of the East are expected to heat up and could undergo a period that is considered a heat wave, he said. And there are more stretches of hot weather that could turn into heat waves this summer, he said.

Forecasters have said the outlook for summer across the United States shows a widespread likelihood of temperatures reaching above the historical average for much of the country.

A woman uses a fan as she walks near the Houses of Parliament, amid hot weather in London, June 23, 2026.Britain, France, Italy, Switzerland and Spain are  sweltering in extreme heat, with record temperatures in some regions disrupting schools and transport networks.

A woman uses a fan as she walks near the Houses of Parliament, amid hot weather in London, June 23, 2026.Britain, France, Italy, Switzerland and Spain are  sweltering in extreme heat, with record temperatures in some regions disrupting schools and transport networks.

Already, the first few days of official summer, which started June 21, are bringing above-average temperatures across parts of the western United States into the Southern Plains, according to the National Weather Service. More than 26 million people are under heat advisories on June 23 in regions in the Pacific Northwest along with parts of New Mexico and Texas. Millions more are under extreme heat warnings across Arizona and California.

The Pacific Northwest is undergoing a second wave of heat so far in June, AccuWeather reported. Temperatures from June 13 to 15 reached into the 90s in cities such as Seattle and Portland, according to the outlet.

More: Tourists in Europe face brutal temperatures under 'heat dome'

The heat wave in Europe is coming from what's known as an "omega block," Reuters reported, so called because of its shape's similarity to the Greek letter omega, ฮฉ. It's an area of high pressure in between two areas of low pressure.

About 40 people since mid-June have drowned while trying to cool off in places like canals and rivers, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said. Two children, ages 2 and 4, died in a hot car in the southeastern part of the country.

The heat has led to transportation cancellations in France. Dozens of schools said they will close early in Great Britain, with older buildings not suitable to hold enough children during the heat.

European heat waves can have significant impacts because of the relatively low ability to mitigate the heat. Just about 20% of European households have air conditioning. By contrast, nearly 90% of American homes have some kind of AC. Reuters reported that in Paris, residents were facing sleepless nights in apartments ill-equipped for heat.

When a large ridge of high pressure settles over Europe, in this case driving record-setting heat, there will also be a similar phenomenon happening along the East Coast of the United States, Merrill said. That's because of the wavy pattern of the jet stream, which can rise north over the East Coast, dip over the Atlantic Ocean and rise again over that part of the world, he said.

The coming trend of hot weather in the East next week may be a teleconnection with the European heat wave, Merrill said.

A heat wave is defined as a period of unusually hot weather for a given area that lasts more than two days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There have already been heat waves so far in June in the eastern United States, Merrill said, including in Philadelphia and other cities.

During the month of July, Merrill said the central and western United States will be susceptible to periods of heat waves, from the Dakotas down into Nebraska, and westward through Washington state. In August, areas most susceptible to heat waves will include the Northwest, Northeast and parts of the Gulf Coast, he said.

The Pacific Northwest, somewhat like Europe, is less prepared for sweltering heat than the rest of the United States. About half of homes in King County, Washington, which includes Seattle, have air conditioning, reported Axios, citing Census data.

"They're not as acclimated to the intense heat in the Pacific Northwest, especially in Seattle and Portland," Merrill said.

A June 2021 heat dome that struck the Pacific Northwest and parts of Canada highlighted the issue. Hundreds of U.S. deaths were reported in the region, and some of the most vulnerable were residents without air conditioning.

The Pacific Northwest is also more susceptible to heat waves than many other regions of the United States this summer because of its ongoing drought, and with influence from El Niรฑo, said Merrill, who said there is concern that heat waves and swings in temperature could bring a "shock to the system" in the region in the coming months.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A deadly heat wave is sweeping Europe. Is the US next?