Southwest sizzle: Hottest weather yet this year on tap
Mother Nature is poised to crank up the heat to levels more typical of the middle of summer across the southwestern United States late this week, and forecasters say decades-old records could be in jeopardy amid the early-season sizzle.
"A northward bulge in the jet stream will expand and strengthen late in the week, especially from Thursday through Saturday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and western U.S. expert Brian Thompson said, adding that this would set the stage for the hottest weather of the season so far.
The heat will only become more intense through the week, requiring an increased cooling demand that can place a strain on the power grid and residents' wallets alike.
"The first 110-degree-Fahrenheit day is expected in Phoenix and Palm Springs, California, late this week," Thompson said. Average high temperatures are in the lower 100s at this point in the year.
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"The average first 110-degree day in the Phoenix area since 1896 is June 18, although if you look at the last 20 years, that average has shifted to June 8. So this round of heat is really right on par with average," Thompson said.
Although the arrival time of the heat will be nothing out of the ordinary for the region, AccuWeather meteorologists say thermometer readings could approach daily record highs amid the pattern, with some records dating back nearly 50 years or more.
In the high-elevation city of Flagstaff, Arizona, where average highs prior to the middle of June are in the middle to upper 70s, the June 10 record high of 87 that has stood for 112 years could be in jeopardy.
Death Valley, California, home to the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth, is expected to reach the upper 110s F next weekend, according to AccuWeather's forecast.
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California's Central Valley is also likely to sizzle in what will be the region's "most widespread, intense and long-lasting heat event of the year so far," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist La Troy Thornton.
Daytime temperatures are likely to be at or near the century mark in much of the valley from Sacramento southward, with Fresno expected to approach record levels in the mid 100s both Friday and Saturday.
"Even for a region like this that is used to hot weather, this level of heat will warrant special attention being paid to sensitive groups like children and the elderly," Thornton said, adding that the length of the heat wave could put a further strain on residents.
Experts urge people throughout the region to take necessary precautions amid the year's first significant heat wave. This includes limiting outdoor activity to the coolest times of the day, drinking plenty of fluids and spending as much time as possible in air-conditioned buildings. Make sure to know the warning signs of heat-related illnesses while doing any type of outdoor activity. Measures should also be taken to ensure that pets are protected from the intense heat.
The hot pattern will also be a rather dry one across the region, but AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham noted that there may be a slight uptick in moisture across Arizona and New Mexico late in the week that could ignite thunderstorms with little to no rainfall in the high terrain.
Outside of these remote chances for rain, AccuWeather's long-range team anticipates above-average warmth and dry weather to be the theme across the Southwest into the middle of the month.
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