Burning temperatures are expected in the southwestern United States over the next few days, with cities such as Phoenix, Las Vegas and Palm Springs in California expected to reach 110 degrees.
Parts of New Mexico and Texas will also have three-digit numbers.
The heat is part of the usual routine of summer in the desert, but forecasters say that does not mean that people should feel calm. Excessive heat causes more deaths in the United States than other weather disasters, including hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined.
“Although the weather will be good, you need to significantly limit your outdoor activities,” said Gabriel Lohero of the Phoenix National Weather Service.
The forecasted temperatures from Wednesday to Monday are the highest so far this year. Scientists say hot flashes are likely to be more frequent and intense in the future due to climate change and deepening droughts.
The effects of high temperatures are most acute among vulnerable groups, including homeless people and workers working outside. Homeless people are about 200 times more likely to die from heat-related causes, said David Hondula, a climatologist who heads the Phoenix Heat Response and Mitigation Service.
At least 130 homeless people are among the 339 people who died of heat-related deaths last year in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and has the largest population of any county in Arizona.
Phoenix is already considered the hottest big city in the United States. A heat wave last summer raised temperatures to 118 degrees (48 degrees Celsius).
Most people in central and southern Arizona, southern Nevada and southeastern California will be at risk for heat-related illnesses if they do not take appropriate precautions, Lodgero said. These include wearing light clothing, maintaining hydration, and seeking shade if you need to go outside.
Temperatures are expected to equalize or break records, even at night when it is cooler, before generally falling early next week.
The temperature in Phoenix and Yuma is forecast to be slightly lower than 115 degrees (46 C) on Saturday, when the heat reaches its peak in the region. Blythe and El Centro in California will be at or above that temperature. Las Vegas will reach 111 degrees (44 C) during the heat wave, the National Weather Service said.
The Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon will also see three-digit temperatures – a reminder that the weather is changing dramatically from the edge of the canyon to its inner depths. The heat was a factor in the June 2 death of a woman traveling back on the popular Bright Angel Trail after reaching the Colorado River the same day – something the park advises not to do, especially during the hottest hours of the day, Angela Boyers said. the chief ranger.
Thomas De Masters, a seasonal ranger in the park, wears a sunscreen under his shirt, hat and soaks his clothes as he passes a water station. He spends much of his time talking to visitors to find out if they are prepared for what they have planned and if it is safe. Among the tips he offers is an hour’s rest in the shade and aggressive cooling with water if the heat gets too much.
“It’s very hot, no doubt about it,” he said Wednesday. “It’s almost always a week like this in June. We just hope we can go out and talk to people enough. “
In some parts of New Mexico, temperatures are also expected to break records over the weekend. Thunderstorms over the next few days could cause flash floods in areas scorched by wildfires, forecasters said.
Although temperatures dropped this week in Texas, the heat is rising over the weekend.
The huge numbers come before the annual rainy season in the southwest, known simply as the monsoon, which begins in mid-June and lasts until September. Experts at the time say the phenomenon has an equal chance of being above, below and normal this year in Arizona.
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Associated Press writer Anita Snow of Phoenix contributed to this story.
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