Deadly Southwest heat wave will steam into next week
Desert dwellers see record temps tied
The deadly heat wave that has scorched the Desert Southwest and California the past few days will continue into early next week, meteorologists said Thursday.
Excessive-heat warnings will remain in effect through Monday for much of the region, according to the National Weather Service.
The heat has been blamed for four deaths in Nevada, two in New Mexico and one in California.
This week, during the USA’s most extreme heat wave in years, Las Vegas tied its record high temperature of 117 degrees Tuesday.
Needles, Calif., home to Snoopy’s brother Spike, also tied its all-time high of 125 degrees.
Tucson sweltered to its hottest three-day stretch ever. Wednesday’s 115-degree high was the third consecutive day the city reached that measurement.
In Tucson, meteorologist Eric Holthaus said, “it feels like another planet.”
Searing temperatures are a factor in several wildfires across the Southwest, including one in Utah that forced the evacuation of hundreds of people and shut down part of a state highway, the Associated Press reported.
The heat is the result of a massive ridge of high pressure, a “hot dome of air,” weather service meteorologist Dan Gregoria said.
The heat started cranking up full-force Monday and Tuesday. Flights were canceled and energy consumption was pushed to a high demand.
The Ginger Monkey, a tavern in Chandler, Ariz., offered drinks for 10 cents on days the temperature hits 110 degrees. “We decided to fight fire with fire … an extreme deal for this extreme heat,” coowner Jackson Armstrong said.
About 50 people received elastic booties for their pets at a Phoenixarea PetSmart to keep the animals’ paws from burning on the pavement, the Weather Channel said.
Near-normal temperatures are forecast to return by the middle of next week, the weather service said. The high next Wednesday in Death Valley should be 117 degrees after highs in the mid-120s this week.
A Phoenix-area PetSmart gave out elastic booties so owners could keep their pets’ paws from burning on the pavement.