The latest in a series of dangerous extreme-heat domes in the United States this year will peak over the southwestern region this weekend accompanied by spotty thunderstorms, while an incoming Pacific storm threatens to heighten wildfire risks in the Northwest.
Heat domes affected the West in February and March before developing across the Central and Eastern states later in the spring and summer.
Temperatures above 100 degrees are common in the deserts during midsummer. However, this strengthening heat dome will push highs 10-20 degrees above the historical average into early August.
Palm Springs, Cali., could hit 120 degrees on Saturday. While the city has reached or exceeded that mark in past years, many summers fall short of it. Temperatures this extreme are dangerous even by desert standards and can quickly lead to heat-related illness or death without proper precautions.
Temperatures will surge into the 90s in downtown Los Angeles for several days, while neighborhoods east of downtown could approach 100 on Saturday. Note that the 98-degree reading in downtown Los Angeles during a March 17 heat wave has yet to be topped.
