7 videos that show what the heat wave gripping the US looks like

Nearly 115 million Americans are under some type of heat alert Tuesday

Extreme heat is baking much of the U.S. this week.

Triple-digit temperatures have been setting new records in several places. High humidity levels are pushing the heat index into dangerous territory, putting millions of Americans at risk of heat-related illnesses.

Nearly 115 million people from the Southwest to the Midwest and Southeast are under some type of heat alert.

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From cranking up the air-conditioning to downing tons of water, people across the country are doing their best to fend off the late-spring scorcher.

Here’s a look at how the heat wave is playing out from coast to coast.

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Power outages and demand

In Texas, the extreme heat led to record demand in the Lone Star State on Sunday, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

FOX Weather’s Will Nunley said some heat-related power outages have been reported across the South, and the Tennessee Valley Authority is urging customers to do whatever they can to cut back on their electricity demand during the hottest times of the day.

Triple-digit heat

The mercury climbed to near or above 100 degrees in many places on Monday. Add in the humidity, and that pushed the heat index to near 110 degrees for some.

Cooling centers

St. Louis was among several cities across the country that opened cooling centers as temperatures soared to just over 100 degrees Monday. These centers are meant to give people who may not have regular access to air conditioning a place to seek shelter from the oppressive heat.

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‘We could not have been more prepared’

Nashville hosted CMA Fest during the weekend, and officials at the Office of Emergency Management in Nashville said Monday they did not have many heat-related emergencies during the event.

"For CMA Fest, actually, we had a lot of hydration stations around in the festival footprint, so we could not have been more prepared," said Kendra Loney, spokeswoman for Nashville’s OEM.

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