Southwest Desert Heat Ratcheting Up but..."It's a Dry Heat"

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MagicMtnDan

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Although it's supposed to be hot in the Southwest in summer, the extreme heat this weekend could reach dangerous levels.


Dangerous, record-breaking heat is forecast to bake much of the West starting Friday and lasting at least into next week, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures could near 130 degrees in some spots in the desert Southwest, where the worst of the heat is forecast.

The weather service has issued "extreme heat warnings" across parts of Arizona, California and Nevada, which means that "temperatures are forecast to reach dangerous levels that will stress the body if precautions are not taken," according to a weather service bulletin.

The all-time record high of 117 degrees could be broken Saturday in Las Vegas, according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alan Reppert. The average high this time of year in Sin City is around 102 degrees, he says.

Reno is also poised to brush up against its all-time heat record of 108 degrees, last reached in July 2007 and first set in July 2002. "It's a potentially historical event that we're looking at here, and the heat is encompassing all of Nevada, all of Utah and Arizona," weather service meteorologist Brian Brong in Reno says.

The cause of the excessive heat is an unusually strong area of high pressure, which will keep the region dry and let the heat really build, Reppert says.

Airlines are taking precautions, but a repeat of what happened in Phoenix 23 years ago isn't likely. (When Phoenix hit 122 degrees June 26, 1990, America West had to stop operations for a while because Boeing performance data were never calculated past 120 degrees).

According to US Airways spokesman Todd Lehmacher, all of that airlines' main fleet can take off and land at temperatures of up to 126 degrees. US Airways and Southwest have the most flights in and out of Phoenix.

In Death Valley, Calif., traditionally one of the nation's hot spots, "it's not out of the question that we could see a 130-degree reading Saturday or Sunday," according to Weather Channel meteorologist Chris Dolce.

Death Valley holds the all-time record for highest temperature recorded on the planet, a beastly 134-degree reading set July 10, 1913. That level of heat is not forecast this weekend.

The overnight low temperature in Death Valley on Sunday will probably be 101 degrees, the weather service says.

Other cities that could experience record-challenging heat this weekend and into next week include Salt Lake City, Denver, Boise and Fresno.

Full article here: Dangerous heat wave forecast in Southwest

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LandFill

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San Diego hotels and beaches are gonna be packed this weekend. It looks like a perfect time for margaritas at Fred's in Old Town!
 

DesertHermit

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I know exactly how that goes. I live in Yuma, AZ which is known as the "hottest"/"sunniest" city in America.

Right now it's 6 am, a bit cloudy, and 82 degrees outside. We should hit ~109 degrees today (and that's cooling off a bit!)
 

Jay.gordon

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I know exactly how that goes. I live in Yuma, AZ which is known as the "hottest"/"sunniest" city in America.

Right now it's 6 am, a bit cloudy, and 82 degrees outside. We should hit ~109 degrees today (and that's cooling off a bit!)

I've made 2 trips thru Yuma on the way to San Diego. We always stop at Cracker Barrel, cuz I'm a cracker. The July 4th week it was 117 in the shade at 4pm and the 5th of Aug at 930 AM it was 103.

It's a dry heat alright you get the moisture sucked out of your body as soon as you get out of the truck!
:big_banana_Dance:
 

DesertHermit

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Lol you're absolutely right about about that 'dry heat'!!!

It started getting dark and cloudy a few hours ago so I'm crossing my fingers for a monsoon. I love a little storm to liven up the sunny/hot or sunny/warm weather around here. :D
 

Jay.gordon

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Lol you're absolutely right about about that 'dry heat'!!!

It started getting dark and cloudy a few hours ago so I'm crossing my fingers for a monsoon. I love a little storm to liven up the sunny/hot or sunny/warm weather around here. :D

I'm loven it too we get some nice storms in Sierra Vista (down by Naco/Bisbee/tombstone) The only problem is with the mountains where they are we are in the doughnut hole. The clouds get blown in a circular path like and the center is clear while the outside is getting drenched. I, of course live in the middle of the doughnut. Don't get me wrong I had to drain about 200 gallons off the top of my Koi pond this week from the rains.
 
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