More than 170 million under heat alerts in the South and the East

More than 170 million people are under heat alerts across the central United States, the Midwest, the Southeast and the East Coast, with some areas feeling temperatures as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit

More than 170 million people are under heat alerts across the central United States, the Midwest, the Southeast and the East Coast, with some areas feeling temperatures as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Alerts are in place for a large swath of the country, stretching from the Dakotas, lower Wisconsin, Michigan and New York down to northeast Texas, Louisiana and Florida.

Extreme heat warnings — which are issued when hazardous heat conditions are expected or occurring and when locals should avoid outdoor activities — are in place for portions of Iowa, North Dakota, lower Illinois down to Mississippi, as well as the Carolinas and Georgia. Some of those extreme heat warnings, including in Arkansas, Tennessee, West Virginia and Missouri, are in effect through Wednesday evening.

People walk across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York on Friday.Spencer Platt / Getty ImagesMajor cities under heat alerts Monday include Dallas; Oklahoma City; St. Louis; Chicago; Memphis, Tennessee; Atlanta; Tampa, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; New York, Philadelphia and Boston.

The majority of record highs Monday are expected to occur across Florida and Georgia, where high temperatures combined with high humidity will result in heat index values of up to 115.