Even desert dwellers in the southwestern United States accustomed to scorching summers are feeling the effects of an extreme heat wave hitting Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and southern California this week, with temperatures over 38°C and overheat alerts.
Worse still, the region did not experience a monsoon, which could have mitigated the scorching temperatures. In Arizona, the monsoon season officially begins on June 15 and can bring powerful storms with high winds, lightning and heavy rain.
Due to the heat, some areas of the desert town look like ghost towns. A series of concerts at sunset have been canceled and the covered terraces of restaurants, equipped with misters, are empty.
On Tuesday, Phoenix was set for a twelfth straight day of 43°C or higher heat, according to the National Weather Service. The longest period recorded so far was 18 days in 1974.
According to Erinanne Saffell, a state climatologist, the high pressure necessary for the formation of monsoon storms is not in the right position, so the Phoenix metro area is left with below normal precipitation and dry conditions that favor higher temperatures.
Moreover, some experts believe that the melting of the snowpack, more abundant this year in the West, required more energy, which prolonged the progression of a summer high pressure system.
“It kind of delayed everything,” Ms Saffell explained.
Leaving home is like stepping into a giant hair dryer. Accidentally touching metal and other surfaces feels like touching a hot stove.
All the concrete and cobblestone in the sprawling city of Phoenix contributes to this misery, as sidewalks and buildings bake all day and slowly release accumulated heat overnight. During the current wave, “low” temperatures do not drop below 32.2°C.
“In the early 1900s, Phoenix averaged five days a year when the temperature reached 43°C. Today, if we count the last ten years, we arrive at about 27 days a year. It’s five times more,” said Saffell.
In Las Vegas, the mercury could also reach between 43°C and 46°C this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, temperatures are expected to be between 38°C and 39°C on Tuesday, with a heat advisory in effect throughout the day. In the interior regions of Southern California, temperatures are expected to peak between 38°C and 45°C Friday through Sunday.