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very dangerous, An unusually long heat wave Intensifies and spreads to the west coast – and there will be no relief for days.
Officials from California to Oregon and Washington to Nevada and Arizona are opening cooling centers and warning residents to stay indoors and stay hydrated as the unrelenting heat wave delivers temperatures into the 100s and 110s. 120s possible in the desert southwest.
And it’s still hot.
Death Valley, California, will soar above 125 degrees by Sunday or Monday, setting a new daily record for those dates. Las Vegas, Nevada, could surpass its all-time high temperature of 117 degrees on Sunday or Monday.
“Confidence is increasing that this potentially historic heat wave will last several days,” the National Weather Service in Portland said. warnedThe risk of heat-related illnesses increases significantly.
Extreme heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, killing hundreds of people every year. National Weather Service.
In San Jose, California, a homeless man died Tuesday due to extreme heat, Mayor Matt Mahan said. The man was 69 years old, mayor’s spokeswoman Tasha Dean said, citing information from the Santa Clara medical examiner’s office.
On the same day, a 10-year-old Died in Arizona after experiencing a heat-related emergency while hiking with family in South Mountain Park and Preserve, the Phoenix Police Department said.
“This is a dangerous situation, especially for sensitive people,” the National Weather Service in Los Angeles said, reminding residents not to drive, drink plenty of water, stay in the shade and wear light, loose clothing. .
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Saturday will be the warmest day of this prolonged heat wave, with high temperatures in the 110s becoming common in California, coastal areas and higher elevations, according to the National Weather Service.
“This level of heat across the Mojave Desert and California’s Sacramento/San Joaquin Valleys could pose a danger to anyone if proper heat protection is not followed,” the weather service said.
Nationwide, nearly 140 million people are under heat warnings, mostly in western states, as the heat wave is expected to last until the middle of next week.
Parts of Oregon will experience triple digits Friday, with heat lasting up to five days and worst overnight relief, says National Weather Service Portland.
A Emergency Multnomah County, Oregon’s most populous county, announced as temperatures are expected to rise this weekend.
“I am especially concerned about the thousands of people who will be attending music festivals and sporting events this weekend. They will be spending a long time outside, may have less access to shade and water, and may not be able to recognize the danger,” Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Richard Bruno said in a news release. He said.
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Bruno said the area has had some of the hottest days so far this year, and residents’ bodies are still not used to the heat.
It was the previous heat wave Burned Oregon in 2021 Dozens died as tens of thousands of electrical appliances buckled in the heat, and tens of thousands lost power as temperatures soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
While this heat wave is not expected to be as intense as the 2021 scorcher, forecasters are concerned about its longevity, National Weather Service – Portland, Oregon, meteorologist Noah Alvis told CNN. “Achieving triple digits in the 90s or 100 to 105 over four to five days. It is very unusual for this place,” he said.
“Triple-digit temperatures will extend northward into the Pacific Northwest and central Great Basin, with widespread highs in the 90s and low 100s,” the National Weather Service said. “The duration of this heat wave is also relevant, as warmer than average temperatures are forecast to persist into the next week.”
A dozen high temperature records were broken or tied on July 4, including several California cities, with Palmdale reaching 110 degrees and Madera reaching 109 degrees.
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Combined with extreme heat, wind and low humidity, wildfires that start can quickly spread through already dry vegetation.
Red flag warnings are also in place in the West, including in the region Thomson FireIt has consumed more than 3,700 acres in Butte County, California since it was reported Tuesday, forcing thousands to evacuate and sending hundreds of firefighters battling the blaze under intense heat in the California, California area.
The wildfire injured 11 firefighters, including eight with heat-related illnesses, spokesman Chris Peterson said. California Department of Forestry and Fire ProtectionAlso known as call fire.
According to Cal Fire, the fire was 29% contained as of Thursday night.
So far in 2024, 144,940 acres have burned, compared to 7,812 acres burned at this time last year. stone fire.
There are now nearly two dozen active wildfires of varying sizes burning across California, and the Thompson Fire is one of the largest. stone fire.
“On the coast of San Diego, we’re seeing fire spread to the base of Butte,” Cal Fire Deputy Director Nick Shuler told CNN on Wednesday. “Our firefighters are fighting fires all over California, and are often on the line more than 24 hours a day. The tough conditions they face.”
A wildfire in California’s Mariposa County, the French Fire, prompted evacuation orders Thursday night after burning 400 acres northwest of the small community of Mariposa outside Yosemite National Park, Cal Fire said in a social media post.
Two hotels near Yosemite National Park are under shelter-in-place orders due to wildfires, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday evening.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Emergency The Thompson Fire is clearing the way for additional resources in the area Wednesday, including the possibility of mobilizing the California National Guard.
Stephen Lamm/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images
A Cal Fire air tactical plane releases smoke as it leads a fire suppression drop during the Thompson fire in Oroville, California on Wednesday.
As the west warms, oppressive heat and moisture will begin to move eastward into the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast by the weekend.
“Hot overnight conditions in the upper 70s and 80s will provide little relief, leading to dangerous conditions for those without access to adequate cooling,” the National Weather Service said.
New heat warnings have now been issued for southeast Texas, extreme south Florida and parts of the southeast north and into the mid-Atlantic, where high temperatures will range from 95-105 degrees. Cities including Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Raleigh and Washington DC will feel the heat.
Heat index values in those areas — how air feels to the human body — range from 100 to 115 degrees.
“A cold front moving into the southern Plains is expected to deliver cooler and below-average temperatures to parts of Oklahoma, north/west Texas and the Mid-South by Friday,” the weather service said.
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