Heat wave in West incinerates temperature records across region, killing dozens

James Powel and Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

A weeklong heat wave has incinerated multiple temperature records in the West, subjected millions of people to unrelenting sweltering conditions and caused dozens of deaths.

More than 50 cities in California and Nevada broke all-time heat records in the first five days of July, according to AccuWeather. Some areas experienced temperatures up to 20 degrees over historical averages.

The heat dome blanketing the West is expected to move east, bringing the sweltering conditions to the Great Plains by next week, according to AccuWeather. Salt Lake City could see its all-time record of 107 degrees challenged and temperatures aren't expected to fall below 100 degrees in Denver this weekend.

Here are some of the notable all-time records set during the heat wave.

All-time heat records broken

  • Palm Springs: 124 degrees on July 5

  • Las Vegas: 120 degrees on July 7

  • Redding, California: 119 degrees on July 6

  • Barstow, California: 118 degrees on July 7 and 8

  • Palmdale, California: 115 degrees on July 6

Maps show weeks of above-average summer heat

Nearly the entire U.S. is forecast to see above-average temperatures next week.
Nearly the entire U.S. is forecast to see above-average temperatures next week.

Forecast maps from the federal Climate Prediction Center for upcoming days and weeks show that above-average temperatures are likely.

According to the prediction center, the weather pattern for next week "favors above-normal temperatures for nearly the entire continental U.S. and Hawaii."

"The strongest chances for above-normal temperatures are in the Southeast and the northern Intermountain West," the center says.

This is not normal

Though summers are always hot, it’s important to remember that the heat events the U.S. and the world are experiencing are far beyond normal.

June was the 13th straight month of record-warm temperatures for the planet, according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service. That means every month for more than a year has been the warmest ever recorded. And 2023 was the hottest summer in 2,000 years, a study published last year found.

Maggy Johnston, an outreach coordinator with Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, wraps a cold towel around Michael Pesterfluid during the heat wave in Salem, Oregon, on July 5, 2024.
Maggy Johnston, an outreach coordinator with Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, wraps a cold towel around Michael Pesterfluid during the heat wave in Salem, Oregon, on July 5, 2024.

And the consequences are often deadly. Heat kills more people than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined, with about 1,220 people in the U.S. dying from heat annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

At least 28 people have died during the recent heat wave, according to ABC News, causing experts to urge people to protect themselves.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Heat wave smashes temperature records in West, kills dozens

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