The main purpose of this ongoing blog will be to track planetary extreme, or record temperatures related to climate change. Any reports I see of ETs will be listed below the main topic of the day. I’ll refer to extreme or record temperatures as ETs (not extraterrestrials).😉
Main Topic: Southwest All-Time Records Will Fall from Heatwave Chevron This Weekend
Dear Diary. We have arrived at the point in time in which historic CAT4 Heatwave Chevron becomes seriously deadly. I’ve started naming heatwaves for oil companies to place blame for the exacerbation of worldwide heat this year. You know that the Southwest is undergoing a serious heatwave when the all-tine record for the planet of 130°F is threatened at Death Valley. Will Las Vegas and Pheonix see all-time records as well? That is likely looking at the extent and strength of the heat dome by Sunday:
The center of the heat dome may briefly get up to 600 decameters on Sunday over Las Vegas.
Temperatures between 115-130°F can be quite deadly, so most will be staying indoors in air conditioner buildings. What is feared is a power outage, which even if it is brief could prove to be tragic, particularly for the elderly.
Here is more on Heatwave Chevron from the fine folks writing for the Washington Post:
Extreme heat to impact states across the U.S.: live weather updates – The Washington Post
Severe and prolonged heat wave nears peak: Live weather updates
By Matthew Cappucci and Justine McDaniel
Updated July 15, 2023 at 1:52 p.m. EDT|Published July 15, 2023 at 10:43 a.m. EDT
Forecast high temperatures on Saturday from the National Weather Service. (PivotalWeather)
A brutal heat wave across the southern and western states is expected to peak this weekend, causing dangerously hot weather from Florida to Texas to Arizona and California to Washington state, with the most extreme temperatures in the Desert Southwest. During the peak, Death Valley, Calif., may approach 130 degrees Fahrenheit — the highest temperature noted worldwide in modern records, Phoenix could near 120, and most of California’s highly populous Central Valley will be well above 110.
“Dangerous heat will result in a major to extreme risk for heat-related illnesses for much of the population, especially those who are heat sensitive and those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration,” the National Weather Service warned.
The heat wave, which is fueling fires in Southern California, comes days after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that last month was the hottest June on record globally, and recent days have been among Earth’s hottest in observed history.
How bad is heat risk near you?
(The Washington Post)
We’re tracking dangerous heat waves across the United States daily. Look up your city to see extreme heat risks near you.
Key developments
- Over 110 million people — or about a third of the U.S. population — are under heat alerts. More than 63 million Americans are expected to experience triple-digit temperatures in the coming week. Heat advisories and excessive-heat watches and warnings are in effect in 16 states. Dozens of weather stations across the southwestern portion of the United States are expected to tie or set records Saturday and Sunday.
- Some national parks also had alerts in effect or warned visitors away. The Grand Canyon was looking at a high of 118 in the inner canyon, a heat advisory on its website said, warning people not to hike into the canyon between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Arizona’s Saguaro and California’s Death Valley national parks also told people not to hike after 10 a.m. local time. Big Bend National Park’s alert said temperatures there are topping 110 every day, warning: “These are extremely dangerous/deadly temperatures!”
- Over 110 million people — or about a third of the U.S. population — are under heat alerts. More than 63 million Americans are expected to experience triple-digit temperatures in the coming week. Heat advisories and excessive-heat watches and warnings are in effect in 16 states. Dozens of weather stations across the southwestern portion of the United States are expected to tie or set records Saturday and Sunday.
- Some national parks also had alerts in effect or warned visitors away. The Grand Canyon was looking at a high of 118 in the inner canyon, a heat advisory on its website said, warning people not to hike into the canyon between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Arizona’s Saguaro and California’s Death Valley national parks also told people not to hike after 10 a.m. local time. Big Bend National Park’s alert said temperatures there are topping 110 every day, warning: “These are extremely dangerous/deadly temperatures!”
Heat alerts in effect. (National Weather Service)
Current heat forecast
- In California and Nevada, triple digits could break records.
- Some of the most extreme heat will be felt just inland from the Southern and Central California coastline, away from the ocean waters off San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Palmdale, an hour’s drive from Los Angeles, is forecast to hit 112 degrees Sunday, beating the record of 111 set in 1931, and nearby Lancaster probably will make it to 111, skipping past the record of 109.
- In California’s Central Valley, Sunday looks to be the hottest day. Bakersfield has an 81 percent chance of reaching 109 degrees or higher, according to the Weather Service; Fresno has a 76 percent chance of reaching that mark; and Madera has a 61 percent shot. Fresno and Hanford are projected to experience record heat Sunday, with highs of 112 degrees.
- Redding, in the northern San Joaquin Valley, is projected to hit 111 on Saturday and Sunday. The city’s average high in mid- to late July is 100 degrees.
- Las Vegas is forecast to spike to 117 degrees Sunday, matching its highest temperature for any date.
- Some records could fall Sunday in parts of the Northwest and the Columbia River Basin.
- In Idaho, Pocatello could hit 100 degrees, 1 degree shy of a record, and Burns Municipal Airport in eastern Oregon is forecast to move a degree above its record of 98.
- In South Florida, excessive heat continues — not because of record-high temperatures but because of the compounding effect of extreme humidity.
- A marine heat wave off the southwestern Florida coastline is pushing water temperatures into the range of 95 to 98 degrees, contributing to excessive moisture in the air. Miami has seen 34 days in a row with heat indexes over 100, and the city logged a heat index of 110 this week.
Relentless extreme heat continues in Texas, including in El Paso, which probably will see a record 30th day in a row at or above 100 degrees Saturday.
- Across the southern Great Plains, temperatures will steadily simmer downward by a few degrees each day, but in Texas, that is doing nothing to curb the humidity. Heat index values of 103 to 108 degrees will be common Saturday everywhere in the state except the Panhandle and along a belt one or two counties deep along the coastline in South Texas. Down there, heat indexes of 110 to 115 or greater are possible.
- A few records could be tied in South Texas, including in Austin and San Antonio, where Sunday’s highs are forecast to be 105 and 103 degrees, respectively.
- The extreme heat in Texas in the southern Plains will be squashed closer toward the Gulf Coast in the next several days before expanding back northward again from Tuesday onward.
Highs forecast for Sunday by the National Weather Service. (PivotalWeather)
The dangers this heat wave poses
- Heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer, its toll surpassing fatalities from flooding, drought, fires, hurricanes and tornadoes.
- When it is as hot as it in Phoenix, “even tiny mistakes can have grave consequences,” The Washington Post’s Joshua Partlow writes.
- Meteorologists at the Weather Service are reminding us to “drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.”
- They further emphasize that “young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles.” Twelve hot-car deaths have been recorded in the country this year, according to noheatstroke.org. Last year, 33 children died in hot vehicles.
- Humidity can play a role, too. In a dry heat, sweat evaporates from the skin before you notice that you’re dehydrated; this can quickly become a grave health danger. Conversely, a steamy, soupy air mass means sweat doesn’t evaporate, therefore reducing the body’s ability to cool itself and thus increasing the risk of heat ailments.
What to know about heat waves
- If you’re trying to beat the heat, it’s a good idea to reconsider what you’re eating and drinking. Here’s what you should eat and avoid in high temperatures.
- The Post is tracking dangerous heat waves across the United States. Look up your city to see extreme heat risks near you.
- What is a heat dome? Understand the science and how drought and climate change make them worse.
- Cooling centers can be vital refuges in heat waves — but only if they are accessible to those who need them.
More on extreme heat
Our warming climate: The dangerous U.S. heat wave is set to peak this weekend, asheat alerts are affecting over 100 million Americans. It’s not just you — summers in the U.S. are getting hotter. Look up your city to see your extreme heat risk with our tracker. Take a look at what extreme heat does to the human body.
How to stay safe: It’s better to prepare for extreme heat before you’re in it. Here’s our guide to bracing for a heat wave, tips for staying cool even if you don’t have air conditioning, and what to know about animal safety during extreme heat. Traveling during a heat wave isn’t ideal, but here’s what to do if you are.
Understanding the science: Sprawling zones of high pressure called heat domes fuel heat waves. Here’s how they work. You can also read more about the link between weather disasters and climate change, and how leaders in the U.S. and Europe are responding to heat.
EXTREME WEATHER
HAND CURATED
By Matthew Cappucci Matthew Cappucci is a meteorologist for Capital Weather Gang. He earned a B.A. in atmospheric sciences from Harvard University in 2019, and has contributed to The Washington Post since he was 18. He is an avid storm chaser and adventurer, and covers all types of weather, climate science, and astronomy. Twitter
By Justine McDaniel Justine McDaniel is a general assignment reporter who joined The Washington Post in 2022. She spent eight years at the Philadelphia Inquirer, covering topics including the coronavirus, environmental issues and breaking news, and has reported in D.C., Seattle and Northern California. Twitter
Here are some “ET’s” recorded from around the planet the last couple of days, their consequences, and some extreme temperature outlooks, as well as any extreme precipitation reports:
Here is some more new June 2023 climatology:
Here is more climate and news from Saturday:
(As usual, this will be a fluid post in which more information gets added during the day as it crosses my radar, crediting all who have put it on-line. Items will be archived on this site for posterity. In most instances click on the pictures of each tweet to see each article. The most noteworthy items will be listed first.)