PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Around 130 million individuals are at risk Saturday and throughout the following week due to an ongoing heat wave that has already set records with dangerously high temperatures — and is projected to break even more from the East Coast to the West Coast, according to forecasters.
The combination of oppressive heat and humidity could lead to temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit (around 38 degrees Celsius) in parts of the Pacific Northwest, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast, stated Jacob Asherman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
In Oregon, cities like Eugene, Portland, and Salem could see record-breaking temperatures, Asherman noted. Many other records across the U.S. are expected to be broken, prompting millions to seek relief from the heat in cooling centers from Bullhead City, Arizona, to Norfolk, Virginia.
“We are anticipating a pretty unusual event here, which seems like it will persist through at least midweek,” Asherman mentioned.
In scorching Las Vegas, where the temperature reached 100 degrees (37.7 C) by 10:30 a.m., Marko Boscovich shared that the best way to escape the heat is by sitting at a slot machine with a cold beer in an air-conditioned casino.
“But you know, after it hits triple digits it’s about all the same to me,” said Boscovich, who came from Sparks, Nevada to attend a Dead & Company concert later that night at the Sphere. “Maybe they’ll play one of my favorites — ‘Cold Rain and Snow.’”
Heat records being shattered across the southwest
By 10:30 a.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service reported that the temperature had already reached 100 degrees (36.6 C) in Phoenix, which experienced a record high of 118 F (47.7 C) for the date on Friday.
Meteorologists anticipate that temperatures will be near daily records throughout the region for most, if not all, of the upcoming week, with lower desert highs reaching 115 to 120 degrees (46.1 to 48.8 C).
Uncommon heat advisories have been extended even to the upper elevations, including around Lake Tahoe, with the National Weather Service in Reno cautioning about “major heat risk impacts, even in the mountains.”
“How hot are we talking? Well, high temperatures across (western Nevada and northeastern California) won’t drop below 100 degrees (37.8 C) until next weekend,” the service posted online. “And unfortunately, there won’t be much relief overnight either.”
A new heat record for the day was established on Friday in Death Valley, California — one of the hottest places on Earth — with the temperature reaching 127 F (52.8 C). The previous record of 122 F (50 C) was last tied in 2013.
More extreme highs are expected, including 129 F (53.8 degrees C) on Sunday at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park, and then around 130 (54.4 C) through Wednesday. The hottest temperature ever officially recorded on Earth was 134 degrees (56.67 C) in Death Valley in July 1913, although some experts contest that measurement and claim that the actual record was 130 F (54.4 C) recorded there in July 2021.
The worst is yet to come across much of the West and Mid-Atlantic
The worst heat is anticipated in much of the West, with triple-digit temperatures likely — between 15 and 30 degrees (8 and 16 degrees Celsius) higher than average into next week, as stated by the National Weather Service.
The Eastern U.S. is also preparing for hotter temperatures. Baltimore and other parts of Maryland are under an excessive heat warning, as heat index values could rise to 110 F (43 C), forecasters warned.
“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” advised a National Weather Service statement for the Baltimore area. “Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.”
Heat-related deaths are starting to mount
In Maricopa County, Arizona — which includes Phoenix — there have been at least 13 confirmed heat-related deaths this year, with over 160 other suspected heat-related deaths still under investigation, according to the county’s most recent report.
This count does not include the death of a 10-year-old boy earlier this week in Phoenix who suffered a “heat-related medical event” while hiking with family at South Mountain Park and Preserve, as per police reports.
Revelers at a music festival cope with the heat with cold water and shade
At the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon, music enthusiasts coped with the heat by consuming cold water, seeking shelter in the shade, or refreshing themselves under water misters. Event organizers also promoted free access to air conditioning in a nearby hotel.
Angela Quiroz, 31, kept her scarf and hat damp and applied sunscreen as she shielded herself from the heat at the music festival.
“There’s definitely a difference between the shade and the sun,” Quiroz commented on Friday. “But when you’re in the sun, it feels like you’re cooking.”
Associated Press reporter Julie Walker contributed from New York. Boone reported from Boise, Idaho, and Sonner reported from Reno, Nevada. Associated Press journalists Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; Jonathan Drew in Raleigh, North Carolina; John Antczak in Los Angeles; Rio Yamat in Las Vegas; Denise Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia; and Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, also contributed.
