Temperatures will warm across the Southwest Sunday, but that warmth willpale in comparison to the heat expected to bake much of the West later nextweek.Thursday into next weekend should prove to be the hottest days since lastSeptember across most of the West. The jet stream pushing northward and a ridgeof high pressure settling overhead will set the stage for the blazing heat.
Temperatures later next week are expected to soar well above highs that aretypical for early June. Las Vegas should crack the century mark, while Phoenixwill flirt with the 110-degree mark. Residents in Salt Lake City should expecthighs in the 90s.
You can prepare for the upcoming sizzle by making sure your air conditioningsystem is working properly. You could also install air conditioning windowunits, or purchase extra fans.
Over the next several days, AccuWeather.com meteorologists will be monitoringthe extent of the heat. It is possible that not all of the West has to endurethese hot temperatures. The Pacific Northwest is one location that could escapethe heat.
The California coastline will benefit from the cool waters of the Pacific Oceanlater next week. Temperatures there will remain more comfortable than placesinland. However, the stage could be set for dense fog to form and causeproblems for airline passengers and motorists.
The upcoming heat will especially be noticed by residents since the past fewdays have been unusually cool across the West, outside of the Four Cornersregion.
High temperatures on Friday were held 12 degrees below normal in Sacramento,Calif. That number was as high as 20 degrees in Reno, Nev. Parts of the Sierrameasured a fresh 3 to 9 inches of snow early Friday morning.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski
