July 6th 2024.
On a warm Saturday afternoon, meteorologists warned that approximately 130 million people were at risk from a heat wave that had already set record-breaking temperatures and was expected to continue its scorching path from coast to coast. From the Pacific Northwest to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, the combination of heat and humidity was predicted to send temperatures soaring above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Jacob Asherman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained that this was due to an unusual weather event, and that the extreme heat was expected to last until at least midweek. He also mentioned that cities in Oregon, such as Eugene, Portland, and Salem, were likely to break temperature records. As a result, many people across the United States were seeking refuge from the heat in cooling centers, from Bullhead City, Arizona to Norfolk, Virginia.
In Las Vegas, where the temperature had already hit 100 degrees by 10:30 AM, visitors like Marko Boscovich were looking for ways to beat the heat. Boscovich suggested staying indoors in air-conditioned casinos with a cold beer and playing the slot machines. Despite the heat, he was excited to attend the Dead & Company concert later that night.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service reported that Phoenix, Arizona had already reached 100 degrees by 10:30 AM on Saturday, after breaking a record high of 118 degrees the day before. Meteorologists predicted that temperatures would remain near daily records throughout the week, with some regions in the lower desert reaching a scorching 115 to 120 degrees.
Even higher elevations, such as around Lake Tahoe, were not spared from the heat wave, as rare heat advisories were extended there. The National Weather Service in Reno cautioned about the "major heat risk impacts" that could even affect mountainous areas.
In California's Death Valley, known as one of the hottest places on Earth, a new heat record was set on Friday with a temperature of 127 degrees. This broke the previous record of 122 degrees set in 2013. Other cities in California also experienced record-breaking heat, including Palm Springs, which reached a high of 124 degrees on Friday, surpassing its previous record of 123 degrees.
The forecast for the upcoming days was even more extreme, with Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park expecting temperatures of 129 degrees on Sunday and around 130 degrees throughout the week. The hottest temperature ever officially recorded on Earth was 134 degrees in Death Valley in 1913, although some experts argue that the true record was 130 degrees recorded in July of this year.
But the worst was yet to come, as the National Weather Service predicted triple-digit temperatures across the West and Mid-Atlantic, reaching 15 to 30 degrees higher than average. And it wasn't just the West feeling the heat - the Eastern U.S. was also bracing for scorching temperatures, with Baltimore and other parts of Maryland under an excessive heat warning.
In the midst of this heat wave, Arizona's Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, had already reported 13 confirmed heat-related deaths this year, with more than 160 other suspected cases still under investigation. Tragically, a 10-year-old boy also passed away earlier in the week due to a heat-related incident while on a hike with his family in Phoenix.
Despite the extreme heat, people were finding ways to cope. At the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon, attendees were drinking plenty of water, seeking out shady spots, and taking advantage of water misters to stay cool. The festival organizers even offered free access to air-conditioned areas in a nearby hotel. Angela Quiroz, a festival-goer, explained that there was a noticeable difference between the sunny and shaded areas, with the sun feeling like a "cooking" heat.
As the heat wave continued, Associated Press reporters continued to gather information and report on the situation from various locations, including New York, Boise, and Reno. Other journalists across the country also contributed to the coverage, including those in Memphis, Raleigh, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Richmond, and Norfolk.
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