More than 90 million Americans in the West and South will remain under heat alerts Sunday, with dozens of cities there expected to hit record-shattering, triple-digit temperatures.
Sections of Southern California, Arizona and Nevada were expected to exceed 120 degrees Saturday, the National Weather Service said. Las Vegas reached 114 Saturday afternoon, and is predicted to reach a scorching 118 degrees Sunday, topping Sin City’s previous all-time record of 117.
In California’s Death Valley, where the thermometer read 125 degrees Saturday afternoon, there’s a chance the temp will hit 130 degrees – not far off its all-time sizzler of 134 in July 1913.
In all, about 100 heat records could fall this weekend as a heat dome intensifies, adding onto more than 1,000 high temperature records broken in US cities since June, CNN reported.
The National Weather Service in Phoenix called the heat wave “one of the strongest high pressure systems this region has ever seen.” The city has experienced of highs of at least 110 since the beginning to the month – including 114 Saturday — and with similar temperatures forecast through the next week it’s on pace to beat to its longest streak of 18 straight days of at least 110 in 1974
Further east, the weather service is predicting “oppressively hot and steamy conditions” stretching from Texas and the lower Mississippi Valley all the way to Florida.
Across the Plains, Southeast and Lower Mississippi temperatures are expected to hit the upper 90s and low 100s – but a combination of high humidity could make some parts feel like it’s at least 115 degrees.
Over 90 million Americans are under heat alerts.
“With the humidity continuing on, the air feels heavier, feels harder to breathe. So all of that is caused by those higher dew points and higher humidity values,” Accuweather meteorologist Mike Youman told USA Today.
Meanwhile, New Yorkers won’t feel baked, but they will be soaked throughout the weekend.
On Saturday, thunderstorms rolled through, with teps hitting high of 88 degrees in Central Park. On Sunday, it could reach a high of 82 degrees and rain is likely.
The New York City Emergency Management Department has issued a travel advisory for Sunday in the Big Apple.
The city is expected to experience showers and thunderstorms through Sunday evening. The severe weather could lead to widespread rainfall of up to 3 to 5 inches in some parts of the Big Apple and there’s a risk for flash flooding in certain parts of the city.
There’s also a chance for torrential rains further north, creating a dangerous flash flood risk for much of New England, including Vermont, which was swamped last week with deadly flooding.
