US West Coast braces for 49°C heat as Phoenix breaks 100-day streak record

The U.S. West Coast is bracing for extreme heat this week, with temperatures in desert areas expected to soar as high as 49 degrees Celsius. Phoenix, Arizona, is likely to extend its record streak of 100 days with temperatures over 38 degrees Celsius, according to forecasts released Tuesday.

The southwestern United States is set to experience several days of intense heat starting Tuesday, with vulnerable populations—including the homeless, elderly, children, and those with health conditions—at heightened risk for heat-related illnesses, the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) warned.

While the worst of the heat is expected to ease by the weekend, much of California will endure sweltering conditions, even along the typically cooler Pacific coast, said Rich Bann, a meteorologist at the NWS's Weather Prediction Center. Washington and Oregon are also expected to face unusually high temperatures.

"We're anticipating several days with widespread highs reaching into the triple digits," Bann noted.

The heat is being driven by a high-pressure ridge forming over the region, which is preventing cloud cover, cooling winds, and rain that could otherwise help mitigate the intense solar radiation. "In the desert southwest, where it's already arid, all direct sunlight is going straight into heating the ground," Bann explained.

On Tuesday, Phoenix recorded its 100th consecutive day with temperatures at or above 38 degrees Celsius. "The streak is expected to continue, with no end currently in sight," the NWS said on social media. The previous record streak was 76 days, set in 1993.

[Source: Reuters]