Arizona community hits 110 degrees F, the highest March temperature recorded in the US
THERMAL, Calif. (AP) — A desert community in southwestern Arizona reached 110 degrees (43.3 C) on Thursday, breaking a document for the highest March temperature recorded in the United States.
The record-setting temperature was recorded simply outdoors Martinez Lake, Arizona, in the Yuma Desert, as a winter warmth wave scorched the Southwest, in keeping with the National Weather Service. The community is about 145 miles (233 kilometers) west of Phoenix and sits on the Arizona-California border.
The earlier document of 108 degrees (42.2 C) had been set in Rio Grande City, Texas, in 1954 and was tied Wednesday by the tiny desert community of North Shore, California.
By Thursday, a number of extra California places had hit 108 degrees (42.2 C). Among them have been Cathedral City, close to the desert vacation spot of Palm Springs, and the aptly named city of Thermal, northeast of San Diego. The triple-digit temperatures got here on the final day of winter.
Thermal was forecast to hit 110 (43.3 C) on Friday and will tie the document.
“For some perspective, the average first 105-degree day of the year normally occurs on May 22nd,” NWS mentioned in an announcement.
The blistering wave of warmth this week has established document highs in dozens of places, together with Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco.
Ruben Pantaleon mentioned the warmth did not hassle him as he used a squeegee to scrub automotive windshields at an intersection in Thermal on Thursday afternoon. He wore shorts and had a provide of electrolyte drinks available.
“I drank three of those so far,” he mentioned underneath the blaring solar. “It’s the desert. It gets real hot. I’m not worried about it.”
Several cities on Thursday skilled their hottest March day on document, in keeping with the NWS.
Phoenix reached 105 degrees (40.6 C), surpassing the earlier document of 102 degrees (38.9 C) set Wednesday.
Wednesday additionally marked the earliest day of triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix. The final time Phoenix temperatures climbed above 100 throughout March was virtually 40 years in the past. Hiking trails round the metropolis have been closed Thursday due to the danger of warmth sickness.
Las Vegas hit 95 degrees (35 C), topping the earlier document of 94 degrees (34.4 C) set Wednesday.
It will proceed to be 20 to 30 degrees above regular temperatures for March for the remainder of the week in the Southwest earlier than the mercury drops barely beginning Sunday. Many different cities in the area are anticipated to see their earliest 100-plus diploma (37.8-plus C) day on document, in keeping with the climate service.
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Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press author Hannah Schoenbaum contributed from Salt Lake City.
