Sweltering Easter Sunday in store for the Southwest as heat wave ramps up
By
Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Apr 4, 2021 3:48 PM EDT
Palm trees near power lines in Southern California are being cut down in order to avoid them catching fire.
Heat that has been building in the Southwest over the past couple of days has peaked across California, but for states farther east, the warmest air is yet to come. Temperatures through the early week are expected to soar 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal and challenge record highs, AccuWeather meteorologists say.
A broad area of high pressure will send temperatures soaring well above average through the weekend, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys.
The continental United States is currently a balancing act of opposites. While the East Coast battles a lingering chill, the jet stream above the West Coast has bulged northward, producing unseasonably warm weather across the Southwest.
Record heat first made an appearance in coastal Southern California around midweek last week. Los Angeles International Airport had a record-tying high of 84 F on Wednesday, which was 19 degrees above average.
Temperatures in Camarillo, California, hit record levels on back-to-back days last week. Wednesday’s high of 92 broke the 2019 record of 88, while Thursday’s high of 94 broke the record of 91 set in 1985.
San Diego joined in on the record-setting fun on Thursday. Temperatures soared to a high of 88 which broke the 1985 daily record by a degree. The city typically sits at 67 for a high during the beginning of April.
“The core of the heat will shift away from coastal Southern California and spread inland through the Southwest into early this week, where many more weather history books are likely to be rewritten,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
Phoenix tied its record high for April 3 when it reached 97 degrees in the afternoon. The city will continue its streak of high temperatures through Monday and is anticipated to also smash the 1961 record high of 98 for April 4 with a forecast high of 100 degrees on Easter Sunday. Temperatures in the city usually only rise into the low 80s in early April. This will be the first time at 100 so far this year. If this occurs, it would be the third-earliest 100-degree reading on record, according to the local National Weather Service office.
Temperatures in Las Vegas soared 91 on Saturday -- 16 degrees above normal for early April -- and tied the daily record high, last set in 1961. This is also the first time the city hit the 90-degree mark since 2020. The first 90-degree high usually doesn’t occur in Las Vegas until mid-May.
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Record heat is also on tap in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the temperature could peak at 82 on Monday, which is over 15 degrees above normal and would break 1972's record high of 81.
A major temperature rise is forecast for Salt Lake City. Following a below-average high of 43 this past Tuesday, a temperature of 79 was recorded on Saturday. This 36-degree leap had the city 21 degrees above average on Saturday and broke the 1961 record high of 76.
“Near-record temperatures will even be felt across the interior Northwest and Rockies through the holiday weekend as highs soar into the 70s from Boise, Idaho, to Billings, Montana; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado,” Duff said.
The extreme heat can be dangerous, especially after coming out of the cooler winter months, and forecasters are urging the public to stay hydrated and take measures to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Since this is the first prolonged and most significant heat wave yet this year, residents and visitors will want to take extra precautions to lower the risk of heat-related illnesses.
"This can include taking frequent breaks in the shade when working or exercising outdoors, drinking plenty of water or sports beverages and wearing light-colored clothing for any Easter egg hunts, outdoor church services or other outside plans,” Duff said.
Warm and dry conditions can worsen the ongoing drought across the West. According to the United States Drought Monitor, 75% of the West is suffering from moderate drought conditions.
No significant wind events are expected across the region into the weekend; however, increasingly breezy conditions on Monday are expected to bring a heightened risk for wildfire activity across the southwest.
A return to cooler or more seasonable conditions is forecast for early this week as a new storm system moves in over the Northwest.
"This storm may also help to knock down temperatures, at least from their record levels, across the desert Southwest for a time this week. However, it is unlikely that this system will bring any needed rain to the parched Southwest,” Duff said.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Weather Forecasts
Sweltering Easter Sunday in store for the Southwest as heat wave ramps up
By Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Apr 4, 2021 3:48 PM EDT
Palm trees near power lines in Southern California are being cut down in order to avoid them catching fire.
Heat that has been building in the Southwest over the past couple of days has peaked across California, but for states farther east, the warmest air is yet to come. Temperatures through the early week are expected to soar 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal and challenge record highs, AccuWeather meteorologists say.
A broad area of high pressure will send temperatures soaring well above average through the weekend, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys.
The continental United States is currently a balancing act of opposites. While the East Coast battles a lingering chill, the jet stream above the West Coast has bulged northward, producing unseasonably warm weather across the Southwest.
Record heat first made an appearance in coastal Southern California around midweek last week. Los Angeles International Airport had a record-tying high of 84 F on Wednesday, which was 19 degrees above average.
Temperatures in Camarillo, California, hit record levels on back-to-back days last week. Wednesday’s high of 92 broke the 2019 record of 88, while Thursday’s high of 94 broke the record of 91 set in 1985.
San Diego joined in on the record-setting fun on Thursday. Temperatures soared to a high of 88 which broke the 1985 daily record by a degree. The city typically sits at 67 for a high during the beginning of April.
“The core of the heat will shift away from coastal Southern California and spread inland through the Southwest into early this week, where many more weather history books are likely to be rewritten,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
Phoenix tied its record high for April 3 when it reached 97 degrees in the afternoon. The city will continue its streak of high temperatures through Monday and is anticipated to also smash the 1961 record high of 98 for April 4 with a forecast high of 100 degrees on Easter Sunday. Temperatures in the city usually only rise into the low 80s in early April. This will be the first time at 100 so far this year. If this occurs, it would be the third-earliest 100-degree reading on record, according to the local National Weather Service office.
Temperatures in Las Vegas soared 91 on Saturday -- 16 degrees above normal for early April -- and tied the daily record high, last set in 1961. This is also the first time the city hit the 90-degree mark since 2020. The first 90-degree high usually doesn’t occur in Las Vegas until mid-May.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Record heat is also on tap in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the temperature could peak at 82 on Monday, which is over 15 degrees above normal and would break 1972's record high of 81.
A major temperature rise is forecast for Salt Lake City. Following a below-average high of 43 this past Tuesday, a temperature of 79 was recorded on Saturday. This 36-degree leap had the city 21 degrees above average on Saturday and broke the 1961 record high of 76.
“Near-record temperatures will even be felt across the interior Northwest and Rockies through the holiday weekend as highs soar into the 70s from Boise, Idaho, to Billings, Montana; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado,” Duff said.
The extreme heat can be dangerous, especially after coming out of the cooler winter months, and forecasters are urging the public to stay hydrated and take measures to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Since this is the first prolonged and most significant heat wave yet this year, residents and visitors will want to take extra precautions to lower the risk of heat-related illnesses.
"This can include taking frequent breaks in the shade when working or exercising outdoors, drinking plenty of water or sports beverages and wearing light-colored clothing for any Easter egg hunts, outdoor church services or other outside plans,” Duff said.
Warm and dry conditions can worsen the ongoing drought across the West. According to the United States Drought Monitor, 75% of the West is suffering from moderate drought conditions.
No significant wind events are expected across the region into the weekend; however, increasingly breezy conditions on Monday are expected to bring a heightened risk for wildfire activity across the southwest.
A return to cooler or more seasonable conditions is forecast for early this week as a new storm system moves in over the Northwest.
"This storm may also help to knock down temperatures, at least from their record levels, across the desert Southwest for a time this week. However, it is unlikely that this system will bring any needed rain to the parched Southwest,” Duff said.
Related:
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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