As a clear reminder that meteorological summer is only a few days away, a scorching heat wave is pushing temperatures into the triple digits this week in a major portion of the western United States.
From the Pacific Northwest to the Desert Southwest, about 20 million people are under heat warning. Temperatures in the warmest areas are predicted to range from 105 to 110 degrees.
This three-day event is forecast to peak on Friday and recede to near-normal temperatures by Sunday.
Extreme Heat Warnings are in effect for portions of California and southern Nevada, including Las Vegas. Redding is expected to break previous records, and Sacramento is predicted to tie a 1910 record.
Redding may enjoy a high of 107 degrees on Friday, while Sacramento is expected to hit 103 degrees. The same is anticipated for Las Vegas, where Saturday temperatures are predicted to hit at least 104 degrees.
All three cities will stay far below all-time record levels, but they may tie or surpass their daily record highs, which is always noteworthy.
A ridge of high pressure will produce above-normal temperatures, much like the historic heat dome of 2021, but the weather patterns are very different.
Temperatures of 110 to 130 degrees are not likely to occur this time around because the intensity and duration of this event are insignificant compared to the record heat of 2021.
Nonetheless, locals are advised to drink plenty of water, stay out of the sun, and stay near air conditioning.
Heat waves are the nation’s top weather-related cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read Also: Heat Advisory Issued for Bay Area Inland Valleys, Santa Cruz Mountains
Approximately 1,300 fatalities are directly related to heat each year. Since thousands of victims went unreported for a variety of reasons, that figure is generally regarded as an undercount.
There will be relief from the heat soon
This time around, the only places that will escape the extreme heat are those that are right on the shore, where cool seawater and a constant sea breeze are regulating temperatures and keeping cities along the Pacific shore Highway from breaking records.
In order to help keep temperatures down during the next workweek, two low-pressure systems are predicted to bring more cloud cover and rain chances during the course of the next week.
Coastal cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco may not receive their warmest temperatures of the year until September and into the fall, even though July is when most of the interior of the United States has its hottest temperatures.
