Credits: NBC News
A prolonged and blistering heat wave is set to break more triple-digit temperature records this week, following a scorching weekend that saw Las Vegas hit a new high of 120 degrees Fahrenheit and led to the death of a motorcyclist in Death Valley.
On Monday, 122 million people were under heat alerts across the West, Southeast, and Northeast. Cities including Las Vegas and Reno in Nevada, Portland in Oregon, and Redding in California are expected to set record highs as temperatures soar up to 25 degrees above average.
The weekend already saw record-breaking temperatures in the West: Redding hit 119 degrees on Saturday, Las Vegas reached 120 degrees on Sunday, and Palm Springs, California, peaked at 124 degrees on Friday, surpassing a previous record of 123 degrees set in 2021.
In Death Valley National Park, a motorcyclist died of suspected heat exposure and another individual was hospitalized for severe heat illness on Saturday, where a high of 129 degrees was recorded on Sunday. Triple-digit temperatures will persist for at least the next couple of days in the region as high pressure continues to hover over the desert Southwest, according to NBC News meteorologist Angie Lassman. Phoenix could hit 116 degrees today, Redding 114 degrees, and Las Vegas 118 degrees by Thursday.
Across the South and East, a combination of high heat and humidity will result in heat index values ranging from 95 to 105 degrees and higher. The Pacific Northwest is expected to see relief from the heat by midweek, but the Southwest will continue to experience high temperatures. The heat and humidity will also persist across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through the week. Portland, Oregon, is forecast to reach 102 degrees today and 104 degrees on Tuesday before slightly cooling later in the week. New Orleans is expected to remain in the 90s with a maximum heat index of 110 degrees. Washington, D.C., will hit the high 90s this week with a maximum heat index of 105 degrees. Miami will stay around the high 80s after hitting 90 degrees today, with a maximum heat index of 106 degrees.
This extreme heat wave underscores the increasing frequency and intensity of heat events, posing significant risks to public health and safety across the nation.