Millions of people are experiencing a dangerous heat wave stretching from the West Coast to the Gulf Coast, with the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing heat warnings and advisories for at least 93 million people on Friday.
The stifling heat wave is set to engulf much of the West Coast, the Great Basin, and the Southwest starting Friday, the NWS reported. Forecasters are predicting little relief over the weekend, with the heat dome expected to expand throughout the region on Saturday. The NWS said residents from the Great Valley of California to the desert Southwest will see daytime highs between 105 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
The NWS of Phoenix said the city is on track to reach their hottest week on record. On Wednesday, the city experienced its 13th consecutive day with highs of 110 degrees Farenheight. The streak is the third longest on record, with forecasts projected to break the 18-day record, according to the NWS of Phoenix.
Phoenix also saw three consecutive days with lows of 90 degrees Farenheight. If the forecast holds, the NWS of Phoenix said the city has the potential to break the record stretch of seven days.
Phoenix forecasters warned of the dangers of the long-lasting heat wave, especially as warnings indicate the wave could stretch into early next week. People in high heat regions are advised to drink water regularly and stay inside if possible.
In El Paso, Texas, temperatures reached at least 100 degrees Farenheight, marking 28 straight days of hitting triple digit temperatures. The NWS of El Paso said temperatures in the lowlands will range from 103 to 107 degrees Farenheight through next week.
While dangerous, the high temperatures are also pushing record-breaking demand on Texas’s electric grid. This week’s projections are all higher than the all-time peak demand of 82.3 gigawatts that the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) projected for the year.
According to reporting , data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows record streaks of over 100 degrees Farenheight this year are part of the longest since 2000.