Brutal heat grips the Southwest as drought fuels fire threat
By
Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Aug 10, 2020 7:57 AM EDT
Mother Nature hasn't lent any helping hand in terms of the expansive drought and increasing fire weather concerns across the Southwest this summer. Through this week, worried residents may see much more of the same and heat is forecast to build toward the Pacific coast by this weekend.
While hot and dry conditions are not uncommon across Arizona's Sun Valley, July and August typically have an uptick in clouds and rainfall courtesy of monsoon moisture that streams into the region.
Unfortunately, in 2020 that has not been the case as a stagnant ridge of high pressure overhead has limited this much-needed moisture from advancing into the region.
Through the months of July and so far through August, Phoenix has only observed 0.10 of an inch of rainfall to date, with the last measurable rainfall occurring on July 24th. Normally through that same stretch, rainfall totals of just over an inch are typically observed. As a result of the lack of moisture, well above-average temperatures have been observed through the same duration.
Speaking of temperatures, we're not even at the half-way point through the month of August and Phoenix has already broken the record for most 110-degree-Fahrenheit days in one calendar year. After a high of 112 degrees on Sunday, Phoenix had observed 34 days this year at or above 110 degrees, beating out 2011, when the mercury climbed to 110 degrees 33 times. On Monday, that number climbed to 35 days after a high of 111 was observed.
The balance of the week will have very little relief from the heat in Phoenix, with forecast highs near 110 on Tuesday, then climbing even higher to near-record territory by midweek.
While not quite as hot as Sun Valley, places like Salt Lake City, Utah, Grand Junction, Colorado, El Paso, Texas, and even Albuquerque, New Mexico, have all observed above-average heat and below-average rainfall this summer. Similarly in these cities, the heat will build through this week.
"The duration of this wave of record heat will be impressive, beginning around the middle of the week and lasting right into next week. This can put a strain on visitors to the area and perhaps even some long-time residents," AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
In the coming days across the Southwest, describing the expansive warmth as "hot" may be an understatement as record-high temperatures may be challenged in some cities as the ridge of high pressure responsible for the weather pattern maintains its grip.
"Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, are among the cities that will challenge record highs daily during this time frame," Duff added.
The persistent heat will result in other issues across the Southwest as well this week, including reduced air quality, a building wildfire threat and high energy demands.
Heat-related illnesses will continue to remain a concern for anyone having to spend an extended stretch of time outdoors this week as well. If possible, spending time outdoors outside of the peak heating hours of the day will help minimize these issues. Of course, drinking plenty of non-alcoholic, hydrating fluids can also help combat the heat as well.
As previously mentioned, the lack of moisture across the Southwest will result in very isolated coverage of showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon hours through a majority of the week. Most of the rainfall will occur across the high terrain, meaning little relief for those in the valleys.
The well-above average heat is likely to expand westward into Southern California by late week and this weekend as well. Los Angeles could flirt with record high territory by Friday as the forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-90s. If the afternoon temperature is able to climb to 97 degrees downtown, that would tie a daily record set 135 years ago in 1885.
Unfortunately, the outlook through this weekend and into next week suggests more of the same across much of the Southwest as the ridge of high pressure will remain reluctant to move.
"The position and shape of the high pressure area over the Southwest is critical as to allowing moisture to flow northward from Mexico, by way of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
"A round area of high pressure that hangs out over Colorado, for example, is more likely to pump moisture northward as opposed to a high pressure area that is elongated from west to east from the southern Plains to southern California," Sosnowski explained.
"A high pressure area that sets up this way tends to block moisture from moving northward, rather than allowing to freely flow," Sosnowski added.
As a northward bulge in the jet stream shifts its position a bit farther to the west, heat will build toward California late this week and this weekend.
By later this weekend to early next week the axis of the northward bulge of the jet stream will be in position to bring significant heat to the eastern parts of Washington, Oregon and much of Idaho.
One saving grace may come towards the end of the month as tropical activity in the eastern Pacific Ocean may be able to bring a push of moisture into the Southwest.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Weather Forecasts
Brutal heat grips the Southwest as drought fuels fire threat
By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Aug 10, 2020 7:57 AM EDT
Mother Nature hasn't lent any helping hand in terms of the expansive drought and increasing fire weather concerns across the Southwest this summer. Through this week, worried residents may see much more of the same and heat is forecast to build toward the Pacific coast by this weekend.
While hot and dry conditions are not uncommon across Arizona's Sun Valley, July and August typically have an uptick in clouds and rainfall courtesy of monsoon moisture that streams into the region.
Unfortunately, in 2020 that has not been the case as a stagnant ridge of high pressure overhead has limited this much-needed moisture from advancing into the region.
Through the months of July and so far through August, Phoenix has only observed 0.10 of an inch of rainfall to date, with the last measurable rainfall occurring on July 24th. Normally through that same stretch, rainfall totals of just over an inch are typically observed. As a result of the lack of moisture, well above-average temperatures have been observed through the same duration.
Speaking of temperatures, we're not even at the half-way point through the month of August and Phoenix has already broken the record for most 110-degree-Fahrenheit days in one calendar year. After a high of 112 degrees on Sunday, Phoenix had observed 34 days this year at or above 110 degrees, beating out 2011, when the mercury climbed to 110 degrees 33 times. On Monday, that number climbed to 35 days after a high of 111 was observed.
The balance of the week will have very little relief from the heat in Phoenix, with forecast highs near 110 on Tuesday, then climbing even higher to near-record territory by midweek.
While not quite as hot as Sun Valley, places like Salt Lake City, Utah, Grand Junction, Colorado, El Paso, Texas, and even Albuquerque, New Mexico, have all observed above-average heat and below-average rainfall this summer. Similarly in these cities, the heat will build through this week.
Related:
"The duration of this wave of record heat will be impressive, beginning around the middle of the week and lasting right into next week. This can put a strain on visitors to the area and perhaps even some long-time residents," AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
In the coming days across the Southwest, describing the expansive warmth as "hot" may be an understatement as record-high temperatures may be challenged in some cities as the ridge of high pressure responsible for the weather pattern maintains its grip.
"Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, are among the cities that will challenge record highs daily during this time frame," Duff added.
The persistent heat will result in other issues across the Southwest as well this week, including reduced air quality, a building wildfire threat and high energy demands.
Heat-related illnesses will continue to remain a concern for anyone having to spend an extended stretch of time outdoors this week as well. If possible, spending time outdoors outside of the peak heating hours of the day will help minimize these issues. Of course, drinking plenty of non-alcoholic, hydrating fluids can also help combat the heat as well.
As previously mentioned, the lack of moisture across the Southwest will result in very isolated coverage of showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon hours through a majority of the week. Most of the rainfall will occur across the high terrain, meaning little relief for those in the valleys.
The well-above average heat is likely to expand westward into Southern California by late week and this weekend as well. Los Angeles could flirt with record high territory by Friday as the forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-90s. If the afternoon temperature is able to climb to 97 degrees downtown, that would tie a daily record set 135 years ago in 1885.
Unfortunately, the outlook through this weekend and into next week suggests more of the same across much of the Southwest as the ridge of high pressure will remain reluctant to move.
"The position and shape of the high pressure area over the Southwest is critical as to allowing moisture to flow northward from Mexico, by way of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
"A round area of high pressure that hangs out over Colorado, for example, is more likely to pump moisture northward as opposed to a high pressure area that is elongated from west to east from the southern Plains to southern California," Sosnowski explained.
"A high pressure area that sets up this way tends to block moisture from moving northward, rather than allowing to freely flow," Sosnowski added.
As a northward bulge in the jet stream shifts its position a bit farther to the west, heat will build toward California late this week and this weekend.
By later this weekend to early next week the axis of the northward bulge of the jet stream will be in position to bring significant heat to the eastern parts of Washington, Oregon and much of Idaho.
One saving grace may come towards the end of the month as tropical activity in the eastern Pacific Ocean may be able to bring a push of moisture into the Southwest.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo