Southwest US swelters an n
The first day of summer yesterday brought some of the worst heat the Southwest of the United States has seen in years, forcing flights to be cancelled, straining the power grid and making life miserable for workers toiling in temperatures that reached 49C or higher in some desert cities.
Arizona, Nevada and California saw dramatic temperatures yesterday as researchers say deadly heat waves like this one are going to grow more frequent.
Meteorologists in Phoenix said the temperature topped out at 48C, one that has been matched or surpassed only four other times.
The forecast called for a high of 49C in Phoenix, which it hasn’t seen in more than two decades. Death Valley, California, reached 52C and Palm Springs hit 50C, still a degree lower than the same day last year.
The operator of California’s power grid called on people to conserve electricity during peak hours.
Workers at a construction site in a Phoenix suburb huddled under an excavator to find a sliver of a shade during a break. At another building site, men in hard hats and yellow vests laboured and sweated in the heat, downing water to stay hydrated.
The main burn centre in Phoenix warned people to be careful around car interiors and pavements and with their pets. Locals took up the offer from a pet store of free booties to put on to protect pets’ paws when they were outside. Las Vegas also baked. Visitors tried
to stay inside air-