A historic heat wave is reaching its maximum intensity across the southwest United States and California on Sunday and is predicted to establish numerous records well above 100 degrees. Death Valley, Calif., infamous for its heat, is predicted to reach at least 128 and could touch 130, which would match the highest temperature observed worldwide in the past 90 years.
Even as the heat is forecast to very slowly ease in the West during the workweek, it is expected to become more entrenched and expand over the south-central and southeastern United States, where tropical-like humidity is already producing dangerously high heat indexes.
1. Key developments
Heat advisories and excessive-heat watches and warnings have been hoisted in 14 states. They stretch continuously from Washington state along the Canadian border to the Mexican border in the southwestern United States, and additionally cover parts of the Gulf Coast region from Texas to South Florida. More than 100 million Americans are under alerts.
Saturday marked another day of smashed records far and wide across the Lower 48:
For the first time on record, an excessive-heat warning has been issued for Miami on Sunday. “Dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 112 [are] expected,” according to the National Weather Service.
Fueled by the heat, the Rabbit Fire in Riverside County, Calif., has grown to 7,600 acres and is 10 percent contained. Road closures remain in place and several dozen residents have been evacuated. It’s one of a number of blazes being fueled by hot, dry conditions. Nearby, three other fires burned throughout the weekend in the Moreno Valley, Perris and Beaumont area, scorching over 790 acres. In Arizona, 13 fires are burning.
In Oregon, the Flat Fire ignited in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest on Saturday evening, burning an estimated 3,000 acres in Oak Flat. The wildfire is expected to grow in the coming days because of “not favorable” weather conditions and terrain, according to a statement by U.S. Forest Service.
Smoke from the ongoing Canadian wildfires had reached Chicago and the Corn Belt on Sunday morning, and blanketed most of the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest and western Great Lakes. Ten states were partially or completely plastered in air quality alerts. The smoke was particularly dense in South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming.
Europe is also facing a brutal heat wave. The Italian island of Sardinia could hit 117 degrees on Tuesday, approaching Europe’s all-time record. Rome may shoot past its all-time record of 105 and make it to 108. The heat may relent late this week, but return early the following week.
China recorded its highest temperature on record Sunday as Sanbao climbed to 126 degrees (52.2 Celsius). It marked the highest temperature recorded north of 40 degrees latitude globally, according to weather historian Maximiliano Herrera.
2. Heat forecast
In California, Arizona and Nevada, many places in the triple digits will flirt with or break records. While coastal locations such as San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco should escape the heat, areas just inland and away from the cooler marine influence will roast.
In Texas, records are also probable in the days ahead.
In Florida, temperature records aren’t likely to be set, but extreme humidity, stemming from record-warm water temperatures in the 90s off southwest Florida peninsula, are leading to exceptional heat indexes.
In Louisiana, a heat advisory expanded to northern regions of the state as weather officials anticipate peak high temperatures in the 105-to-110-degree range. The state’s record high is 114 degrees.
3. Is there any end in sight?
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The heat dome is centered over California on Sunday, but it will shift east and intensify in the days ahead.
By Thursday, it will have flattened but strengthened some, and it should park over Texas and northern Mexico. That will provide some relief to California, but could bring a resurgence of the worst heat for the south-central and southeastern United States.
4. What to know about heat waves and how to stay safe
In the Southwest, the “heat will result in a major to extreme risk for heat-related illnesses for much of the population, especially those who are heat sensitive and those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration,” the National Weather Service warned.
When it is as hot as it in Phoenix, “even tiny mistakes can have grave consequences,” The Washington Post’s Joshua Partlow writes.
Meteorologists at the Weather Service are reminding us to “drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.” During episodes of dry heat, sweat evaporates before it can collect on the skin. That means many people won’t know they are dehydrated until it becomes a serious health concern. Dry air desiccates everything within it.
They further emphasize that “young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles.” Twelve hot-car deaths have been recorded in the country so far this year, according to noheatstroke.org. Last year, 33 children died in hot vehicles.
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