A massive heat wave is set to push temperatures to unprecedented highs along the U.S. West Coast, leaving millions of Americans sweltering under a relentless heat dome that also covers Arizona and Nevada.
The National Weather Service (NWS) announced on Sunday that approximately 36 million people —around 10% of the nation's population— are under excessive heat warnings, Reuters reported.
This heat dome, mainly centered over California, is an indication of the extreme weather patterns driven by climate change caused by fossil fuels and this trend is expected to continue for decades, according to recent studies.
The NWS predict daily high temperature records will be matched or exceeded in regions including Washington state, Oregon, California, northern Arizona, and central Idaho.
In Death Valley National Park near California temperatures are expected to soar close to 130 degrees Fahrenheit through Friday.
On Saturday, the Park recorded a sweltering 128 degrees Fahrenheit, which is a 17-year high. It resulted in the death of a visitor from heat exposure on Saturday, while another person was hospitalized.
Both were part of a group of six motorcyclists riding through the Badwater Basin area, the Park said in a statement.
The other four members of the party were treated at the scene. Due to the high temperatures, emergency medical helicopters were unable to respond, as the aircraft cannot generally fly safely over 120.
Las Vegas saw temperatures reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit, tying a record from 2007.
Cities like Redding in northern California are experiencing temperatures up to 20 degrees above average for this time of year. Redding hit an all-time high of 119 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, according to NWS meteorologist Bryan Jackson.
"We're anticipating the heat to drift east early next week and continue through the week, leading to an expansive and extreme heat wave," Jackson said.
The NWS has also highlighted the heightened risk of wildfires due to the combination of hot, dry, and windy conditions.
In Southern California, evacuation orders were issued late Saturday for parts of Santa Barbara County, where the Lake Fire has consumed over 13,000 acres since Friday, as reported by Cal Fire. The fire remains 0% contained, and the cause is under investigation.
An additional 36 million people are under heat advisories, and about 1 million are facing excessive heat watches, particularly in eastern Oregon, northeastern Nevada, and southwestern Idaho.
In response to the escalating threat of extreme heat, the Biden administration last week proposed the first-ever safety standard aimed at protecting workers and communities from its impacts.
