Millions of Americans were expected to continue to experience dangerous heat this week, as the National Weather Service (NWS) issued extreme heat warnings and advisories for vast regions of the country.
Forecasts suggested that temperatures could break records in Arizona, pushing conditions close to those expected in Death Valley, often called the hottest place on Earth.
Why It Matters
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that extreme heat can lead to heat-related illnesses, especially for older adults, young children, and individuals with chronic medical conditions.
Symptoms can include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, dizziness, and nausea. The agency reports that extreme heat is responsible for over 700 deaths in the U.S. each year.
Moreover, rising temperatures can worsen ground-level ozone pollution, potentially compounding existing health risks.
What To Know
Extreme heat warnings, issued by the NWS when “extremely dangerous heat conditions are expected or occurring,” spanned southern, central and northwestern Arizona and the Grand Canyon, as well as southeast California and southern Nevada.
“Dangerously hot conditions” were forecast for these areas, the NWS said, with temperatures up to 118 degrees F expected in California’s Coachella Valley and San Diego County Deserts, as well as southwest Arizona.
The latest of these extreme heat warnings were set to remain in force until 8 p.m. MST/PDT on Friday.
On Wednesday, the NWS forecast a high of 115 for Phoenix, which would just surpass the record of 114 set for this date in 2023.
On Thursday, the city was expected to see a high of 116, according to the NWS—four degrees hotter than the 112-degree record for the date set back in 2012.
Meanwhile, the NWS forecast a high of 115 Wednesday at Furnace Creek—a community within Death Valley.
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Additional heat advisories—which are less severe than extreme heat warnings—covered southern Florida, western and northern Texas, the Oklahoma Panhandle, and pockets of New Mexico and Colorado.
Heat index values—which reflect how hot it feels when humidity and temperature are considered—were expected to reach 110 in southern Florida, according to a heat advisory in effect until 7 p.m. EDT at the time of writing.
Portions of the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles could see temperatures up to 105 degrees, the NWS said.
What People Are Saying
The National Weather Service forecast office in Phoenix said on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday: “Temperatures across the region continue their warmer-than-normal run as highs across the lower deserts hovered close 110-115 F. Highs tomorrow will be a few degrees warmer as high pressure sits over the Desert Southwest.”
NWS Miami said on X on Wednesday: “Heat Advisory again today as heat index values will be in the 105-110 degrees range across much of the area. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms today with highest chances over the western half of SoFlo.”
What Happens Next
Regular forecast updates are issued by the NWS on its website and social media channels.