The “dangerous” heat affecting large parts of the country is expected to stick around through the weekend and beyond, the National Weather Service said Saturday.
Around 113 million people — or roughly one-third of the U.S. population — were under excessive heat warnings or heat advisories as of Friday evening, NWS officials said. And the situation is expected to linger into early next week.
“This weekend, the sweltering and dangerous heat will remain in the forecast, especially across much of the West,” NWS said in a tweet, urging the population to “practice heat safety.”
Early on Saturday, the NWS’s Weather Prediction Center said the heat wave currently plaguing several Western states — from Washington to Arizona — “would remain anchored over the West this weekend,” while temperatures in the South would increase by early next week.
“Numerous record-high temperatures” are expected, and multiple areas across the U.S. will also deal with air quality issues.
Some residents across Arizona have endured temperatures higher than 110 degrees Fahrenheit for over two weeks in a likely record-breaking heat wave.
The temperature in Phoenix was expected to hit 118 degrees on Saturday, making it the 16th consecutive day where residents experienced 110 degrees or more.
California could also set another record this weekend. According to the NWS, Furnace Creek in Death Valley could reach 131 degrees on Sunday — which would likely be the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth, according to some estimates.
In Nevada, officials on Friday warned residents of “five days of extreme heat ahead,” with no significant cooldown overnight.
“This heat wave is NOT typical desert heat due to its long duration, extreme daytime temperatures, and warm nights,” NWS Las Vegas said on social media. “Everyone needs to take this heat seriously, including those who live in the desert.”
Sin City could see three consecutive days with a high of at least 115 degrees and a low of 90 or more — something officials said has “only happened once before,” in 2005.
While the Southwest is dealing with possibly record-breaking high temperatures, dangerous conditions will continue to persist in the central South region and in South Florida, the NWS warned in a Saturday morning bulletin.
“Daytime highs in the 90s to low 100s with oppressive humidity levels will allow heat indices to range frequently between 105-110 F each afternoon,” officials said.
And the heat wave isn’t restricted to the U.S. As Southern Europe continues to experience extreme heat, 16 cities across Italy have been issued red alerts, with forecasters saying temperatures could climb as high as a record-breaking 120 degrees F.
