Millions of Americans are sweltering as experts warn early heat could herald next record-smashing summer

With the official start of summer still weeks away, a potentially record-setting heatwave is cooking the south-western US, causing dangerous conditions far earlier than normal.

Excessive-heat warnings have been issued from the southern tip of Texas across Arizona and Nevada, and up through the center of California to the northern part of the state, as more than 36 million people across the country brace for days of potentially life-threatening temperatures. Affected areas of California could see conditions of 30F higher than normal for this time of year, as south-west cities, including Phoenix and Las Vegas, prepare to hit peaks above 110F.

Experts have warned this could be just the start of another record-smashing season with the potential to usurp 2023 as the world’s hottest year. A three-month outlook on seasonal temperatures published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) in mid-May forecasts above-average temperatures for most of the country through the summer.

  • @einlander
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    216 months ago

    Don’t forget they removed water break provisions.

    • @Zron
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      176 months ago

      Because leadership knew this was coming. They deny climate change at the podium, but bend the knee to corporations behind closed doors.

      If they kept the water breaks, nothing would get done outside during the summer, and that hurts corporate wallets.

      People are going to be worked to death this summer, and it’s because of greedy politicians who’ve never worked outside of an air conditioned office.

  • @Brkdncr
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    156 months ago

    110 is hot. 90’s in this area is fine in the shade with a breeze because it’s so dry your sweat evaporates easily and keeps you cool. Once you get into triple digits your basically slow-roasting.

    • @isthingoneventhis
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      36 months ago

      110 is hot but I feel like for TX/AZ/CA is not like… freakishly hot. Way back like 10? years ago we (CA) had a random summer that was like maybe 112 on the worst days? Even 100°+ days in summer hasn’t been uncommon for a long time. I get that it’s bad because global warming is happening but also they’re all pretty well equipped to handle heat, it’s just the fires that fuck shit up.

      • @Brkdncr
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        166 months ago

        It’s not freakishly hot but it’s people-be-dyin hot.

  • benji
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    46 months ago

    I just came here from the post about the pineapple-sized hailstone found in Texas. WTF?

  • @enbyecho
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    15 months ago

    My weather station says today’s high here was 39.5C. The previous record (my data) was 36.6C and we have never ever had more than 3-4 days of 32C+ but we’re looking at 2 weeks straight of > 35C. Or more.

    The really fun part is we’ve had multiple fires start in our or the adjacent county every day this week.

    I just want to be cold.

    • @[email protected]
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      116 months ago

      Temperature on the internet is like sitting in a room with a thousand people and 980 of them are talking one intuitive language but 20 of them insist everyone uses theirs because they think it’s more intuitive

      • Cyborganism
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        56 months ago

        I dunno why they keep insisting on using that system. Centigrade is so simple. 0°C : water freezes, so it’s cold. 100°C, water boils, so it’s very hot.

        • @[email protected]
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          26 months ago

          Yuh but 0°f is like, I dunno, depends if you ask someone in like Sweden or Spain, and like 100°f means it’s hot. Unless you’re from Bangladesh, man duh, or anywhere else

          • @[email protected]
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            6 months ago

            Here’s my magic Celsius system as an American-born who lives in Canada. If it starts with a two it’s warm and you should dress lightly, if it starts with a three stay the fuck inside and crank the A/C, and if it starts with a one it’s going to be chilly.

            It really is that fucking simple.