The first heat wave of the season puts 25 million inhabitants in the Southwest on alert

The National Weather Service issued several warnings for high temperatures, which could last until this Friday, in Arizona, Nevada, Texas, California and Utah.

Mapa proporcionado por el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional con las temperaturas máximas que podría alcanzar el — (National Weather Service)

Published by

Rosana Rábago Sainz

4 de junio, 2024

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The Southwest is on alert for the first heat wave of the season. The National Weather Service issued several warnings for high temperatures, which will last from Tuesday to Friday, in Arizona, Nevada, Texas, California and Utah and that could pose a risk to the up to 25 million residents who live in these states:

According to the information provided by the weather agency, cities such as Phoenix and Las Vegas and the Central Valley in California could reach, respectively, temperatures of up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, 111 F and 108 F.

The increase will be especially relevant on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with increases between 10 and 20 degrees above normal that could lead to these regions registering historical highs. An example of this, The Guardian reports, is Phoenix. In 2016, Arizona's capital recorded a high temperature of 111 F, a figure slightly lower than the 113 F it could reach this Thursday.

Heat wave could see record temperatures in California

Sacramento, Calif., is another of the areas that is projected to see record heat in the coming hours. According to AccuWeather meteorologist Alyssa Glenny, this region could register, throughout this Tuesday, its historical high since 1935:

Sacramento, California, will challenge the daily record high temperature of 103 F by Tuesday, with a current forecast that would match the record set in 1935. Additional locations across California's interior Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys will match or set daily record highs through the week.

The same is expected in Redding, Calif. There, the high temperatures that could be recorded in the coming days could also represent a new record that would surpass those reached in 2016. AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham explained, "It's been a similar story on Redding, California, farther to the north, with highs to range from 103 to 107 from Wednesday to Friday."

They will not be the only areas that will experience an increase in temperatures. The northern U.S., says Infobae, could also experience a heat wave, although less serious than that of the Southwest. In this way, cities such as Salt Lake City and Boise, Idaho, could reach 95 F, affecting, although to a lesser extent, the inhabitants who reside in these areas, who will be at higher risk of heat stroke.