Janice R. Andrews
As the brutal summer of 2024 goes on, dangerously high temperatures are once again scalding the western United States. In some places, the temperatures are reaching their all-time highs. Parts of Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada are currently experiencing a very strong heatwave. Forecasters say that temperatures will likely reach their highest point in the middle of the week and last through the weekend.
Tens of millions of people are affected by warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS) about too much heat in these areas. High temperatures will be close to 100°F (37.7°C) in big towns like Los Angeles and near 110°F (43.3°C) or higher in the middle of the country. In desert towns like Palm Springs and Las Vegas, daily highs will be higher than 110°F. In Death Valley, temperatures will soar to 118°F (47.7°C).
Extremely Hot Conditions Are Set to Peak
For people in Southern California, the NWS has warned of “dangerously hot conditions” with highs between 95°F and 110°F. On Thursday and Friday, these temperatures are likely to get warmer. There won’t be much escape from the heat during the night because the low temperatures are expected to stay warm.
Meteorologists are especially worried about how long the warmth will last. A analyst for the NWS, Mike Wofford, told the Los Angeles Times, “We’re talking about four days of tough heat.” “It’s been hot for three or four days before, but this heat wave is longer and hotter than most of the others.”
Even in San Francisco, which is known for having mild weather, the temperatures are higher than normal. The city’s temperatures are expected to rise at least 13 degrees above normal, which is why the NWS has issued a rare heat warning for the area.
Record-breaking heat: a terrible summer
This current weather comes after a summer that was already the hottest in U.S. history in the West. With an average temperature of 81.7°F (27.6°C), July 2024 was the hottest month known to record in California. Many towns across the state had days with high temperatures of 100°F or higher, and some broke long-standing temperature marks.
In July, it was also the hottest ever in Las Vegas, Nevada, which set a new daily record of 120°F (48.8°C). On the other hand, Phoenix, Arizona, reached a worrisome milestone on Monday: it had 100 days in a row with temperatures above 100°F. This breaks the record set in the 1990s and makes Phoenix even more well-known as one of the hottest towns in the U.S.
The Growing Risk of Wildfires
The heat that won’t go away has made wildfires more likely in the western U.S. A very wet winter caused a lot of plants to grow all over the land. These plants have now dried out, making them perfect for starting wildfires. The West Coast is getting ready for a dangerous fire season, and the warmth in September is only going to make things worse.
As of mid-August, nearly 1.5 million acres had been burned in Oregon by wildfires, which is more than any other year. High temperatures in the triple digits are expected in the state, followed by rains later in the week. This will make it “significantly more likely” for more fires to start. There are still dozens of wildfires burning in the area. States from Washington to Idaho and Arizona are all fighting these fires.
The Park Fire in California, which started in the middle of July, is now the fourth-biggest wildfire in the state’s history. Even though the fire is almost completely controlled, it has done a huge amount of harm. Other, smaller wildfires that are spreading quickly, like the one near Lake Tahoe that is threatening Sierra Brooks, have caused hundreds of people to leave their homes as the temperatures rise and the fire conditions get worse.
More heat, more danger: many health risks
The record-breaking heat is not only making flames worse, but it is also putting millions of people’s health at risk. Health officials have sent out several alerts telling people to take care not to get sick from the heat. Cooling centres have been set up all over the area, but especially in Los Angeles County. People are urged to check on elderly, sick, or homeless people who may not have a safe place to stay.
Los Angeles County’s Health Officer, Dr. Muntu Davis, warned, “Hot days aren’t just uncomfortable; they can be dangerous.” Extreme temperatures make heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and other heat-related illnesses much more likely, especially when the heat lasts for several days in a row without cooling down at night.
Some of the worst weather is expected to happen in inland places like Palm Springs and the Central Valley. In these areas, temperatures will always be around or above 110°F, which makes being outside very dangerous. People are told to stay inside during the hottest parts of the day, drink plenty of water, and look for places with air conditioning whenever they can.
The climate crisis is getting worse
Scientists have been saying for a long time that as the climate problem gets worse, heatwaves will happen more often and be stronger. Greenhouse gases are released when natural fuels like coal, oil, and gas are burned. These gases keep warming the planet and make violent weather more likely. As long as greenhouse gas emissions are not lowered, heat waves, wildfires, severe storms, and long droughts will happen more often and with more force.
The current weather is a stark warning of how dangerous it is for the Earth to be getting warmer. Already a hot and fire-prone area, the U.S. West is becoming even more at risk because of climate change, which is having terrible effects on people, animals, and buildings.
The Long Way Ahead
The very hot summer of 2024 doesn’t look like it will end any time soon. Later in the fall, cooler weather may bring some relief, but people are getting ready for what could be one of the hottest and most dangerous fire seasons ever.
The hard summer isn’t over yet for firemen and other first responders. Police officer Dan Mallia of the U.S. Forest Service said, “We’re about halfway through our season, and it’s really busy.” “We’ve been given assignments right after each other.” It has been difficult.
Because of the climate disaster, high temperatures will likely get worse in the West of the United States in the coming years. Heatwaves and wildfires will become the new normal.
