More than 110 million people are under extreme heat advisories in the U.S. on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, as near record-high temperatures are forecast for areas in Arizona, Nevada and California.
More than 110 million people are under extreme heat advisories.
The National Weather Service forecast temperatures as high as 118 degrees in Phoenix, with temperatures already reaching as high as 108 degrees as of noon MST.
Other Arizona cities are expected to be near or eclipse 110 degrees, including forecasts of 114 degrees in Wickenburg, 114 degrees in Gila Bend, 111 degrees in Casa Grande and 108 degrees in Sedona.
Las Vegas is projected to reach 115 degrees—nearing the city’s record-high of 117 degrees—and has already surpassed 108 degrees.
Parker and Blythe, California, are expected to reach temperatures of 119 degrees and 118 degrees, respectively, with a forecast of 115 degrees for nearby El Centro.
Temperatures for Austin, Texas, are projected to hit at least 104 degrees, after surpassing 101 degrees earlier Saturday.
Death Valley National Park in Furnace Creek, California, is expected to reach 127 degrees, and has already surpassed 112 degrees.
Phoenix recorded its 15th consecutive day with a temperature of at least 110 degrees on Friday, trailing the all-time record of 18 days set in 1974.
David Hondula, director of Phoenix’s Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, said temperatures for the city “will be some of the most serious and hot conditions we’ve ever seen.”
Death Valley’s Furnace Creek is forecast to reach 131 degrees on Sunday, which would be the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth.
A heat wave across the South, Southwest and the Pacific Northwest has already broken single-day temperature records for several cities—including Phoenix, Austin and Sacramento, among others—as officials warn of excessive heat. Scientists say the heat wave is complemented by El Niño, a weather phenomenon that brings warmer air north. This summer’s heat wave follows record-breaking temperatures last year, after an estimated 1,500 cities and towns across the U.S. broke records over a 30-day period ending in September. Europe is also experiencing higher-than-average temperatures, with temperatures reaching eclipsing 100 degrees in Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain and Germany on Saturday.
131 Degrees—Death Valley Project To Set Earth’s Modern Temperature Record (Forbes)