An extreme heatwave is expected to continue across the southern United States through this weekend, with the heat then expected to move north in the middle of next week.
According to a new forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS), the Southwest will face the hottest temperatures this weekend with highs in and around Phoenix, Las Vegas, and inland Southern California expected to breach 110 degrees. Temperatures are expected to push or exceed 100 degrees in much of the rest of the region, with much of New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado also facing above-average heat.
But while states like Arizona have been boiling for the better part of a week, parts of the south-central and southeastern US — including areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Arkansas — are also expected to face temperatures above 110 degrees in the coming days.
And it’s not just the south: the NWS expects the extreme heat to move up into the Midwest during the middle of next week, with a number of locations experiencing their hottest temperatures of the year so far.
The extreme heat is a sobering look at what the vast majority of scientists believe will become the norm during summers as climate change continues to intensify in the coming years — straining resources in numerous cities and states and rendering some all but unlivable for months-long periods.
This weekend alone, approximately 80 million Americans will experience temperatures or heat indexes above 110 degrees.
The NWS is advising Americans dealing with extreme heat this weekend to avoid spending considerable time outdoors and make sure to stay hydrated and cautious regarding outdoor activities.
Heat remains the number one cause of weather-related deaths in the US, while this summer’s heat-related death toll likely includes the deaths of multiple construction workers in states like Texas who are believed to have died of heat-related illnesses.
Extreme heat is not just affecting the US this summer. Mexico has also experienced a number of heat-related deaths in sweltering temperatures in June, while parts of Europe and Asia have also dealt with record high temperatures.
