The Phoenix National Weather Service is warning that a “dangerous and deadly heat wave” is heading for the US southwest this weekend.
More than 25 million people are on heat alert, and more than 50 daily high temperature records could be broken over the weekend, including in Death Valley, California, one of the hottest places on the planet.
“Don’t underestimate the heat! Heat is one of the deadliest weather hazards, so take action against heat this week,” the National Weather Service tweeted.
“Record high temperatures [serão sentidas] in parts of Texas on Wednesday and Thursday and will expand to California on Friday,” the Weather Forecast Center (WPC) said Wednesday morning.
High pressures will create a heat dome, or dome, over the western United States. The dome will capture any escaped radiation and return it to the ground, while the sun’s rays continue to penetrate.
That, combined with arid soils from a long-lasting drought, will allow temperatures to climb to record highs in parts of California and the southwest, with highs of 32°C to more than 43.3°C on Friday. said the Weather Prediction Center.
See when and where the heat will be most intense.
heat in texas
“Hot again” is how the San Angelo National Weather Service began its weather forecast this morning, as temperatures rose in West Central Texas on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon.
High temperatures will break the century mark this afternoon and highs will intensify as the week progresses. The peak intensity is likely to occur Saturday through Monday, the San Angelo Weather Service said.
Major cities in Texas will see high temperatures above 37.7ºC. Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston will likely hit the alert level one, two, even three or more times before the week ends.
Above-average temperatures this weekend will likely strain the Texas electrical grid.
During the state’s heat wave last month, Texans were encouraged to save energy by turning thermostats up to 25 degrees Celsius and to refrain from using large appliances during peak hours.
First heat wave of the year in Las Vegas and Phoenix
This weather pattern will continue in Texas over the weekend and will extend to southern California and Nevada and Arizona Thursday through Friday.
The first excessive heat event of the season, a level 4 out of 4 on the weather services’ experimental heat hazard scale, is coming, the weather service in Phoenix said.
“The first heat wave of the year has multiple weather locations threatening daily record highs and lows,” added the National Weather Service in Las Vegas.
Death Valley is forecast to hit 49.4C on Friday. If that happens, it will break the daily record of 48.8°C set in 1994.
Las Vegas will also flirt with daily records, with temperatures approaching 42.7°C on both Friday and Saturday.
“High temperatures will approach 43.3°C as early as this afternoon and are expected to peak in the range of 43°C to 46.1°C in the lower deserts by Friday and remain through the weekend,” the National Weather Service said. from Phoenix.
Low nighttime temperatures will also be close to a record.
For example, in Las Vegas the temperature is expected to be 28.8ºC on Saturday morning (11). The previous record for the hottest minimum temperature was 27.2°C in 1996.
What makes this so dangerous is that when temperatures remain high overnight, the body cannot escape the extreme heat.
The Phoenix National Weather Service said the heat is expected to ease early next week and temperatures will return to normal.
The weather agencies of Las Vegas and Phoenix also say that Sunday (12) may not be as hot as initially thought.
California countryside faces ‘high’ heat risk
For California, the worst is also expected this Friday (10).
If you’re on the California coast, you might be able to escape the heat, but the interior of the state won’t be so lucky.
“The warming and dry weather trend with heat above 37.7°C through the end of the week for the Central Valley,” said the National Weather Service. “The hottest day will be Friday, with little nighttime relief from the heat.”
The heat risk will be high, level 3 out of 4, on Friday for most of rural California.
“Daytime temperatures could reach at least 37.7°C to 40.5°C across the Valley on Friday, which combined with warm nighttime temperatures will produce a high risk of heat shock for the general public,” he tweeted. he.
All weather service institutions had similar heat safety messages with tips for staying safe during extreme heat events: Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate the body. Instead, drink plenty of water and try to find air conditioning.
Drought makes the heat worse
Drought continues to ravage the Southwest. And one of the many disadvantages of drought and dry soil is the impact on temperatures.
California has a long history of droughts and fires, but what’s happening now is a different chapter. We explain why:
When there is no moisture in the soil or plants, there is no evaporation or evapotranspiration, both of which are cooling processes that add moisture to the air and stabilize the air temperature.
“Basically, the drier the air, the easier it is to get to a high temperature,” Bryan Jackson of the Weather Prediction Center told the BBC. CNN Weather. “When there is more humidity, the temperature can be contained.”
Source: CNN Brasil
