California this week endured one of its longest and most intense September heatwaves, smashing temperature records up and down the state.
Since 1 September, more than a dozen cities across the state set new all-time highs, with numerous others tying previous records or setting new monthly records. Thermometers in Sacramento, California, recorded a stunning 116F (47C) on Tuesday.
Other states in the American west were not spared either. Temperatures in Reno, Nevada, reached 106F (41C) this week, while Salt Lake City, Utah, registered 107F (42C).