Unprecedented Heat Wave Shatters Records Across the West

A sprawling heat dome brings unseasonable warmth, obliterating temperature records in California, Arizona, and beyond

The West is experiencing an intense and early heat wave, with numerous records toppled in California and Arizona on Wednesday and Thursday. The community of Martinez Lake in Arizona's Yuma County reached a staggering 110 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, setting a record for the highest March temperature in U.S. recorded history, according to the National Weather Service.

Record-Breaking Temperatures

Across Southern California and the desert Southwest, around 38 million people were under heat alerts, with high temperatures in the upper 90s and triple digits common throughout the region. Palm Springs, California, hit 107 degrees on Thursday, setting a new record for the month of March. The previous record of 105 degrees was set just a day earlier. The city of Indio in the Coachella Valley also set a record for March on Thursday, with temperatures climbing to 108 degrees.

Heat Wave Spreads Across the Region

San Francisco recorded its new hottest March temperature, reaching 85 degrees on Thursday. This week also marked the first time San Francisco has recorded four consecutive days at or above 84 degrees in the winter. The city typically averages only seven days per year at or above that mark, according to weather records. A number of daily records were broken across California, including a 101-degree reading in Riverside on Thursday. Records set the prior day included highs of 95 degrees in Anaheim, 88 degrees in Sacramento, and 85 degrees in San Diego, according to the weather service.

Broader Implications and Forecast

The extreme heat is not limited to California and Arizona, with other parts of the West also experiencing unseasonably warm conditions. Phoenix recorded its earliest triple-digit day on Wednesday, with a high of 102 degrees, and temperatures then reached 105 degrees on Thursday. The city is forecast to hit 106 degrees on Friday and Saturday, with an extreme heat warning in effect through Sunday. The heat wave is expected to continue building heading into the weekend and moving east into the Rockies and the central and southern Plains. By Saturday, maximum temperatures are expected to reach the middle to upper 90s across Texas and low to middle 90s as far north as Nebraska and South Dakota. While the exact influence of climate change on specific weather events can be challenging to determine, global warming is known to make heat waves more frequent, more intense, and longer-lasting.

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