World News | Record Highs Expected to Fall as Southwest US Bakes in First Heat Wave of Season Earlier Than Usual

Phoenix, Jun 5 (AP) The first heat wave of the season has arrived earlier than usual across much of the US Southwest, with dangerously hot conditions that produced triple-digit temperatures on Tuesday.

Forecasters say temperatures are likely to top 43.3 degrees Celsius in some areas by Thursday.

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By Wednesday afternoon, much of an area stretching from southeast California to central Arizona will see "easily their hottest" weather since last September, and record daily highs will be in jeopardy from Las Vegas to Phoenix, the National Weather Service said.

Excessive heat warnings were issued for Wednesday morning through Friday evening for parts of southeast California, southern Nevada and Arizona.

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"Temperatures well above average for the time of year -- some spots as much as 10 to 20 degrees above average," said Marc Chenard, a weather service meteorologist in College Park, Maryland. He said unseasonably hot weather was expected to spread northward and make its way into parts of the Pacific Northwest by the end of the week.

Tuesday's highs reached 41.1 degrees Celsius in Bullhead City, Arizona, 40 degrees Celsius in Phoenix and 39.4 degrees Celsius in Las Vegas. Highs in California included 44.4 degrees Celsius at Furnace Creek in Death Valley, 42.2 degrees Celsius in Needles and 40 degrees Celsius in Palm Springs

In Las Vegas, the mercury was forecast to hit at least 42.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and could then go even higher, according to the weather service.

"A new record high looks almost certain for Las Vegas on Thursday with an 80 per cent chance of reaching 44.4 degrees Celsius. This would tie the earliest date for reaching 43.3 degrees Celsius which previously occurred June 6, 2010," the weather service said Tuesday.

Forecast highs for Thursday included 48.8 degrees Celsius at Furnace Creek in Death Valley and 45 degrees Celsius in Phoenix, the latter of which would break a record high for the date of 43.8 degrees Celsius, set in 2016.

The heat prompted the US Border Patrol to issue a warning on Monday after it confirmed that four migrants died last weekend from heat-related causes while attempting to cross into the country in southeast New Mexico, near El Paso, Texas.

Anthony Good, the agency's El Paso sector chief, urged migrants not to risk the extreme heat.

"The desert environment is extremely unforgiving, especially during the summer months," Good said. "We urge anyone considering crossing illegally to understand the severe risks involved."

Fire crews were on high alert especially in Arizona, where fire restrictions went into effect before Memorial Day in some areas and will be ordered by Thursday across much of the western and south-central parts of the state, authorities said.

Fire forecasters at the Southwest Coordination Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, said typically it does not get this hot until mid- or late June.

"It does seem like Mother Nature is turning up the heat on us a little sooner than usual," said Tiffany Davila, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.

"We can't back down from a fire just because it's pushing 113 degrees outside. But we do keep a close eye on everybody in the field. Make sure they are keeping hydrated and taking more breaks than they normally would," she said.

Last summer, Phoenix saw a record 31 straight days of at least 43.3 degrees Celsius, stretching from the last day of June through the entire month of July. At least 400 of the year's 645 heat-related deaths were during that period.

Phoenix, Maricopa County and Arizona state officials are striving to better protect people from ever higher temperatures. Those most in danger from the heat are people outdoors, especially homeless people in downtown areas who often lack sufficient access to things like water, shade and air conditioning.

This year, governments are setting aside more money to keep cooling stations open longer and on weekends, including two that will stay open overnight.

Mayor John Giles of the city of Mesa, just east of Phoenix, said officials are "committed to ensuring that those most vulnerable to heat exposure have access to essential life-saving services, including hydration and cooling stations and daytime respite centres". (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)