Heatwave to Affect Desert Southwest Beginning This Weekend

Posted: June 11, 2021 12:02 pm

Things are heating up in the Southwest and throughout much of the western portion of the US. While it has been relatively seasonable weather for much of the week, the mercury is set to soar in the coming days.

Change to Happen This Weekend: The big change in the weather patterns will happen this weekend for most places. This increase in temperatures will be attributed to a northwest bulge in the jet stream. This bulge will allow warm air to penetrate the majority of the West Coast and beyond. This heat is forecast to continue at least through the middle of next week as the bulge stays in place.

Who Will See the Heat: The heat will infiltrate the great majority of the western half of the country. Inland areas stretching from Oregon down into Arizona will see the mercury rise well above normal for this time of the year with Sunday expected to be the warmest day of the weekend. Cities such as Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix will see temperatures approximately 10 degrees above normal for the second weekend in June.

In anticipation of the heat, The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued an excessive heat watch, effective for areas of southeastern California and southwestern Arizona. The heat watch is set to begin on Sunday and will continue through at least June 16.

Records to Fall? Long-standing records may fall in some cities as the temperatures soar. Records are in jeopardy of falling in Salt Lake City and Phoenix. All Salt Lake City needs is for the temperature to climb into the triple digits on Sunday to at least tie the record set back in 1918.

The heat is not expected to let up any time soon. High pressure will remain the prevalent atmospheric pattern in the region, keeping the warmth in place and precipitation at nearly nothing.

Desert Southwest to Bake: Not surprisingly, the desert Southwest will see the warmest temperatures of this heatwave. Although it is not unusual for Phoenix to hit the 110-degree mark this time of year, it usually takes a few more weeks for the city to elevate the mercury to 115 degrees. However, this 5-degree jump is forecast to happen within two days starting this weekend.

Like Salt Lake City, Phoenix may also see a record-breaker. Sunday and Monday may see days with temperatures around 115 degrees, putting a few historic records in danger of being broken. These temperature records are expected to be challenged every day through Thursday with the thermometer expected to top out at 117 degrees by the end of the week.

What About Vegas? Las Vegas will not be left out of the heat action. While Sin City typically does not eclipse the 110-degree mark until the end of June, this benchmark is forecast to be hit this coming Monday. In addition, Las Vegas is predicted to hit 115 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday. Should this happen as forecasted, records dating back to 1940 may fall. Unlike Phoenix, it is not common for Las Vegas to hit 115 degrees at any time during the summer, making next week’s forecast excruciatingly hot even by the city’s usual standards.

How the Heat Can Cause Problems: Other than making people feel miserable, there are inherent dangers to this level of heat. Cooling demands across the region will increase, putting an abnormal level of strain on electricity grids. This may also translate to higher utility costs for many residents.

In addition, the warmth coupled with very little precipitation will increase the risk of wildfires. Because the majority of the region is already under drought conditions, the smallest spark could ignite a devastating wildfire. The outlying areas of Phoenix are already dealing with wildfires because of the ongoing drought.