High Temperatures Bake Western U.S. as Heat Dome Arrives

Severe heat is expected to bake parts of the United States from Texas to California this week, with temperatures soaring to the triple digits, according to the National Weather Service. It’s the first big heat wave of the season, and even places known for their heat, like Phoenix and Las Vegas, are likely to see temperatures top 110 degrees for the first time this year.

Here are some key things to know:

• Las Vegas could reach 112 on Thursday, the earliest in the season it’s ever done that. Even Death Valley in California could climb to over 120, which typically doesn’t happen until the middle of June.

• Parts of Texas were expected to see above-average temperatures, from Austin through the area south of San Antonio near the Rio Grande.

• Things should gradually cool down in the West over the weekend and into next week, with the exception of South Texas, where temperatures are forecast to remain hazardous.

Here’s what to expect in the affected areas:

In California, areas from outside Los Angeles to Redding, more than 500 miles north, were set to be under an excessive heat watch through Thursday evening, forecasters said. Abnormally high temperatures were also expected in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The National Weather Service in Hanford, Calif., in the Central Valley, warned of “dangerously hot conditions” in the region, where farmers grow a big share of the United States’ fruit, vegetables and nuts. The extreme heat is expected to last through Thursday night.

Forecasters cautioned against leaving children and pets in cars, noting that “car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.”

“Extreme heat is an invisible but dangerous consequence of climate change, and California’s outdoor workers, seniors and children are particularly vulnerable,” the California Environmental Protection Agency said on social media.