New York, July 23 (RHC)-- An intense heat wave that gripped much of the central and eastern U.S. over the past several days is slowly easing.  One hundred fifty-seven million people were under a heat warning over the weekend, as the heat index soared into the triple digits across the East Coast, reaching 110 degrees in the capital.

Severe storms in the Midwest caused power outages for around half a million customers in Michigan.  Last month was the hottest June ever recorded, and experts say July is on track to become the hottest month ever in recorded history.

In the U.S., the number of days with a heat index of more than 100 degrees will more than double by 2050 due to climate change, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.