Sizzling heat wave stifles western US, many record highs still in jeopardy
By
Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published May 28, 2020 7:43 AM EST
Many people are trying to figure out exciting ways to have summer fun from home. Find out how to build a water park in your own backyard for next to nothing.
Following days of record-breaking heat across California, the intense warmth from a long-lasting heat wave will shift its focus to a different part of the West to end the week.
Wednesday brought another day of summerlike heat to much of the southwestern United States. Temperatures in places such as Fresno and Sacramento, California, soared to 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal and challenged daily record high temperatures in the process. Fresno, California, topped out at a blistering 105 on Wednesday and broke the previous daily record of 104, last set in 1974.
Outside of California, the Great Basin and Desert Southwest really began to feel the heat on Wednesday. Places such as Las Vegas and Phoenix experienced temperatures 10-15 degrees above normal on Wednesday. Las Vegas even came within a single degree of tying a daily record that has stood for over 40 years when it reached 107 on Wednesday. The record for the date of 108 was set back in 1974.
Death Valley, California, was the hottest spot in the United States on Wednesday, but not the world, as the mercury reached 118. That set a new daily record high, breaking the old record of 117 from 2014 and was also the highest temperature recorded so far in 2020 for the U.S. Death Valley recorded yet another impressive feat on Thursday. The mercury only dropped to 95 on Thursday, setting a record not only for the warmest low temperature for the day itself, but for the entire month of May as well. The previous record for warmest low temperature in May was 94, set on May 20, 2008.
Excessive heat warnings (dark pink) remain in effect across portions of southern Arizona through Sunday evening. (AccuWeather)
Phoenix reached 109 on Thursday, the hottest temperature so far this year for the city, but it still fell short of the daily record for May 28 of 113 from 1984.
Blistering heat only got more intense across the Great Basin and desert Southwest on Thursday as many daily high temperature records were in jeopardy once again.
A bulge in the jet stream will continue to funnel cooler, moist air away from the southwestern U.S. and lock dry, summerlike weather into place through the end of the week.
"The core of the heat will be focused in Arizona, southern Nevada and inland areas of California,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and western U.S. blogger Brian Thompson said.
Temperatures on Thursday ranged from the 90s across the lower elevations of northern Nevada to widespread 100s across southern Nevada, the valleys of California and southern Arizona.
Bishop, California reached 104 on Thursday, its hottest temperature of the year. The city broke the daily high temperature record of 102 last set in 2003.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Reno, Nevada and Flagstaff, Arizona, fell just one and two degrees shy, respectively, of tying high temperature records on Thursday, as temperatures across the region trended 10-20 degrees above normal for late May.
The record-challenging heat continued on Friday as cities such as Phoenix and Flagstaff, Arizona, experienced their hottest day of the heat wave.
While Friday will mark the last day of stifling heat across California and the Great Basin, those hoping for relief across the desert Southwest will have to hold out a little longer.
Dangerous heat will persist through the weekend for areas such as the Phoenix and Tucson metros. Phoenix will even have one last shot to stamp May 2020 into the record books on Sunday as the current AccuWeather forecast has the city approaching the daily record high of 109.
"Even in places where records are not set, anyone outside will need to stay hydrated and seek relief in an air-conditioned environment as much as possible," Adamson said.
A pattern change will bring relief from the heat to much of the Western U.S. beginning next week.
For the first week of meteorological summer, temperatures across the region will begin to trend closer to average.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Weather Forecasts
Sizzling heat wave stifles western US, many record highs still in jeopardy
By Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published May 28, 2020 7:43 AM EST
Many people are trying to figure out exciting ways to have summer fun from home. Find out how to build a water park in your own backyard for next to nothing.
Following days of record-breaking heat across California, the intense warmth from a long-lasting heat wave will shift its focus to a different part of the West to end the week.
Wednesday brought another day of summerlike heat to much of the southwestern United States. Temperatures in places such as Fresno and Sacramento, California, soared to 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal and challenged daily record high temperatures in the process. Fresno, California, topped out at a blistering 105 on Wednesday and broke the previous daily record of 104, last set in 1974.
Outside of California, the Great Basin and Desert Southwest really began to feel the heat on Wednesday. Places such as Las Vegas and Phoenix experienced temperatures 10-15 degrees above normal on Wednesday. Las Vegas even came within a single degree of tying a daily record that has stood for over 40 years when it reached 107 on Wednesday. The record for the date of 108 was set back in 1974.
Death Valley, California, was the hottest spot in the United States on Wednesday, but not the world, as the mercury reached 118. That set a new daily record high, breaking the old record of 117 from 2014 and was also the highest temperature recorded so far in 2020 for the U.S. Death Valley recorded yet another impressive feat on Thursday. The mercury only dropped to 95 on Thursday, setting a record not only for the warmest low temperature for the day itself, but for the entire month of May as well. The previous record for warmest low temperature in May was 94, set on May 20, 2008.
Excessive heat warnings (dark pink) remain in effect across portions of southern Arizona through Sunday evening. (AccuWeather)
Phoenix reached 109 on Thursday, the hottest temperature so far this year for the city, but it still fell short of the daily record for May 28 of 113 from 1984.
Blistering heat only got more intense across the Great Basin and desert Southwest on Thursday as many daily high temperature records were in jeopardy once again.
A bulge in the jet stream will continue to funnel cooler, moist air away from the southwestern U.S. and lock dry, summerlike weather into place through the end of the week.
"The core of the heat will be focused in Arizona, southern Nevada and inland areas of California,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and western U.S. blogger Brian Thompson said.
Temperatures on Thursday ranged from the 90s across the lower elevations of northern Nevada to widespread 100s across southern Nevada, the valleys of California and southern Arizona.
Bishop, California reached 104 on Thursday, its hottest temperature of the year. The city broke the daily high temperature record of 102 last set in 2003.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Reno, Nevada and Flagstaff, Arizona, fell just one and two degrees shy, respectively, of tying high temperature records on Thursday, as temperatures across the region trended 10-20 degrees above normal for late May.
The record-challenging heat continued on Friday as cities such as Phoenix and Flagstaff, Arizona, experienced their hottest day of the heat wave.
While Friday will mark the last day of stifling heat across California and the Great Basin, those hoping for relief across the desert Southwest will have to hold out a little longer.
Related:
Dangerous heat will persist through the weekend for areas such as the Phoenix and Tucson metros. Phoenix will even have one last shot to stamp May 2020 into the record books on Sunday as the current AccuWeather forecast has the city approaching the daily record high of 109.
"Even in places where records are not set, anyone outside will need to stay hydrated and seek relief in an air-conditioned environment as much as possible," Adamson said.
A pattern change will bring relief from the heat to much of the Western U.S. beginning next week.
For the first week of meteorological summer, temperatures across the region will begin to trend closer to average.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo