A significant heatwave is expected to affect large metropolitan areas from the Midwest to the Northeast this week, with Chicago and the Twin Cities experiencing particularly high temperatures. Chicago will see temperatures in the low to mid-90s, with heat indices potentially reaching up to 105 degrees, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has issued an air quality alert. Charlotte, N.C., will face hot and humid conditions with temperatures reaching the 90s by midweek, accompanied by scattered thunderstorms. Minneapolis will be under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s and heat indices around 100, along with daily storm chances. This prolonged heatwave may also trigger rapid-onset drought conditions across the eastern Corn Belt and Mid-Atlantic.