United States

"Welcome to Las Vegas Where we Bring the HEAT! ‪#literally‬," tweeted user @neshaTayXo.

Millions of people will continue to sizzle with 100-plus degree heat over the interior West through the week.

Near-record temperatures well into triple-digit territory will scorch many interior valley, desert and basin locations.

Relative to the record-setting warmth with high humidity experienced across most of the East last week, it will be a mainly dry heat with low humidity levels. Despite this, the temperature readings expected each afternoon and evening are typically only experienced a handful of times each summer.

However, the flow of tropical moisture into the region will also bring higher humidity levels to the Southwest, when compared to the rest of the year. The same higher humidity can also lead to spotty late-day thunderstorms.

Despite the potential for spotty storms, Salt Lake City rack up four 100-degree days over the span of this week alone.

Both Phoenix and Las Vegas are forecast to bust past the 110-degree mark for much of the workweek.

Temperatures on Tuesday reached 114 degrees in Las Vegas and 112 degrees in Phoenix.

Some of the normally hot desert locations such as Death Valley could approach 125 degrees!

At night, temperatures will struggle to fall below 90 in deserts and major metropolitan areas including Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Relief will only be afforded to higher elevations and locations near the coast, though even downtown L.A. will experience some of the warmest temperatures of the season thus far well into the 80s.

Even the Northwest has been toasty recently, despite usually enjoying some of the coolest temperatures in the nation this time of year.

Both Boise, Idaho, and Pendleton, Ore., are in the grips of a heat wave with temperatures above 100 in recent days. The unusual warmth will persist in these locations as well.

Throughout this heat spell, residents and visitors alike should take precautions to prevent the possibility of heat-related illness, such as heat exhaustion and potentially deadly heat stroke.

Even the heartiest residents of the Southwest accustomed to heat might be off guard by the magnitude and duration of this heat wave.

The ridge of high pressure across the West responsible for the heat will begin to lose its grip on the region over the weekend and early next week, but temperatures still look to average above normal.